Columbus weather in March

In March, Columbus sees average daytime highs of 67°F and overnight lows near 46°F, with 5.3 in of precipitation across 10.9 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 63°F in the first days to 70°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 12 min at the start of March to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Columbus's 10th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Columbus's year-round climate.

Daytime high
67°
8th warmest
Overnight low
46°
5th coldest
Precipitation
5.3 in
10.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:11 AM – 5:56 PM
Cloud cover
59%
10th clearest
Wind
7 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
4.43 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.1
out of 10

Columbus is county seat of Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States.

Density
346/km²
people per km²
Founded
1821

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 63°F in the first days to 70°F by the end.

A typical March day in Columbus reaches about 67°F in the afternoon and slips back to 46°F overnight — a 21°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 53°F and 78°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 8°F warmer than February and about 8°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16242
26242
36342
46342
56342
66443
76443
86443
96444
106544
116544
126545
136645
146645
156646
166746
176746
186747
196747
206847
216847
226847
236948
246948
256948
266949
277049
287049
297049
307049
317150

How March really feels in Columbus

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

March sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Columbus weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 8th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan54° / 36°5.09.4103.4
Feb59° / 39°5.310.110.84.4
Mar67° / 46°5.310.911.76.1
Apr74° / 53°4.89.412.87.0
May82° / 62°4.310.113.76.0
Jun89° / 70°3.611.914.24.1
Jul91° / 73°4.013.7143.4
Aug91° / 72°3.510.913.23.6
Sep86° / 66°3.37.512.25.4
Oct76° / 54°3.56.911.27.5
Nov64° / 43°3.77.910.36.2
Dec56° / 38°5.110.49.83.8

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14357
24456
34456
44456
54456
64654
74654
84654
94555
104456
114456
124555
134555
144456
154456
164555
174456
184456
194654
204654
214555
224753
234753
244753
254753
264852
274852
284951
294951
304951
314951

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Columbus gets around 5.3 in of rain and snow over 10.9 wet days in March, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 34% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
137
236
336
436
536
635
735
835
935
1034
1134
1234
1333
1433
1533
1632
1732
1832
1932
2032
2132
2233
2333
2433
2534
2634
2734
2835
2935
3036
3136

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of March feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, March lands in the dry band about 77% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1851131
2841141
3841141
4841141
5841141
6831151
7831151
8821251
9821251
10821251
11801361
12801361
13791461
14791461
15781561
16781561
17781561
18761662
19761662
20761662
21741772
22741772
23741772
24731782
25721882
26711892
277018102
287018102
296918112
306918112
316718123

Wind in March

Winds average 7 mph in March, the windiest month of the year.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 min at the start of March to 12 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:30 AM to 5:50 AM, and sunset from 5:44 PM to 6:07 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.26:305:44
211.36:295:44
311.36:285:45
411.36:275:46
511.46:255:47
611.46:245:48
711.46:235:49
811.56:225:49
911.56:205:50
1011.56:195:51
1111.66:185:52
1211.66:165:53
1311.66:155:53
1411.76:145:54
1511.76:125:55
1611.76:115:56
1711.86:105:56
1811.86:085:57
1911.86:075:58
2011.96:065:59
2111.96:045:59
2212.06:036:00
2312.06:026:01
2412.06:006:02
2512.15:596:02
2612.15:576:03
2712.15:566:04
2812.25:556:05
2912.25:536:05
3012.25:526:06
3112.35:506:07

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.43 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.32 kWh/m² to a high of 6.2 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 4.43 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.9Moderate
23.9Moderate
34.0Moderate
44.0Bright
54.0Bright
64.1Bright
74.1Bright
84.2Bright
94.2Bright
104.2Bright
114.3Bright
124.3Bright
134.3Bright
144.4Bright
154.4Bright
164.5Bright
174.5Bright
184.5Bright
194.6Bright
204.6Bright
214.7Bright
224.7Bright
234.7Bright
244.8Bright
254.8Bright
264.8Bright
274.9Bright
284.9Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Columbus?

Our two travel scores rate March for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.1
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
2.7
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

March is a reasonable time to visit Columbus for sightseeing.

What to pack for Columbus in March

From March's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In March, Columbus sees daytime highs around 67°F and nights near 46°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Columbus in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Columbus peaks around July 13 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 13UV 10Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar6High
Apr8Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Columbus in March

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where March falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Columbus is worst in July — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.3× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1720 µg/m³Jan 116 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar11Good
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Columbus?

Columbus sits at 33.5°N, 88.4°W, 217 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Starkville, 23 mi away.

Topography around Columbus

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Columbus.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Columbus has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 157 ft around an average of 180 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 279 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 784 ft.

The land around Columbus is covered by trees (58%) within 2 miles, trees (69%) within 10 miles, and trees (81%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
157 ft
10 miles
279 ft
50 miles
784 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Starkville 23 mi · Northport 52 mi · Tuscaloosa 53 mi · Tupelo 55 mi · Meridian 80 mi · Hueytown 83 mi · Bessemer 85 mi · Oxford 87 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Columbus (33.4957°, -88.4273°, elevation 217 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).