DeKalb weather in March

In March, DeKalb sees average daytime highs of 46°F and overnight lows near 29°F, with 2.6 in of precipitation across 9.3 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 40°F in the first days to 52°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 54 min at the start of March to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is DeKalb's 8th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see DeKalb's year-round climate.

Daytime high
46°
9th warmest
Overnight low
29°
4th coldest
Precipitation
2.6 in
9.3 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:15 AM – 5:54 PM
Cloud cover
66%
8th clearest
Wind
9 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
4.05 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.3
out of 10

DeKalb is city in De Kalb County, Illinois, United States.

Density
1,080/km²
people per km²
Founded
1837

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 40°F in the first days to 52°F by the end.

A typical March day in DeKalb reaches about 46°F in the afternoon and slips back to 29°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 32°F and 62°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 13°F warmer than February and about 12°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13923
23924
34024
44024
54125
64125
74225
84226
94326
104327
114427
124428
134528
144628
154629
164629
174730
184730
194830
204831
214931
224931
235032
245032
255133
265133
275133
285233
295234
305334
315334

How March really feels in DeKalb

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 31 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
31
2 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

The story in March is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

DeKalb weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 16°2.07.65.79.30.0
Feb34° / 19°1.86.94.910.30.0
Mar46° / 29°2.69.32.911.71.3
Apr59° / 40°4.4120.913.14.1
May69° / 50°4.812.8014.35.9
Jun78° / 60°4.212.20156.3
Jul82° / 64°3.510.7014.76.4
Aug80° / 62°3.510.4013.76.6
Sep74° / 54°3.28.7012.37.0
Oct61° / 43°3.19.10.110.95.2
Nov47° / 32°2.47.71.69.61.5
Dec35° / 22°2.27.84.590.0

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 62%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23763
33763
43862
53862
63862
73961
83961
93961
104060
114060
124060
134060
144060
154060
164060
173961
183961
193961
203862
213763
223763
233763
243565
253565
263466
273367
283367
293367
303367
313367

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

DeKalb gets around 2.6 in of rain and snow over 9.3 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 30% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12916
22915
32915
42914
52914
62913
72813
82812
92812
102811
112711
122711
132710
142710
152810
16289
17289
18289
19298
20298
21308
22307
23317
24326
25326
26336
27335
28345
29344
30344
31354

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17982
18982
19982
20982
21982
22982
23982
24982
25982
26982
27982
28982
29982
30982
31982

Wind in March

Winds average 9 mph in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
99light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
3110light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 54 min at the start of March to 12 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 90 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:40 AM to 5:49 AM, and sunset from 5:36 PM to 6:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.96:405:36
211.06:385:38
311.06:375:39
411.16:355:40
511.16:345:41
611.26:325:42
711.26:305:44
811.36:295:45
911.36:275:46
1011.46:255:47
1111.46:245:48
1211.56:225:50
1311.56:205:51
1411.66:195:52
1511.66:175:53
1611.76:155:54
1711.76:135:55
1811.76:125:56
1911.86:105:58
2011.86:085:59
2111.96:066:00
2211.96:056:01
2312.06:036:02
2412.06:016:03
2512.15:596:04
2612.15:586:06
2712.25:566:07
2812.25:546:08
2912.35:526:09
3012.35:516:10
3112.45:496:11

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.05 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.69 kWh/m² to a high of 6.29 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 4.05 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.5Moderate
23.6Moderate
33.6Moderate
43.7Moderate
53.7Moderate
63.8Moderate
73.8Moderate
83.9Moderate
93.9Moderate
103.9Moderate
114.0Moderate
124.0Moderate
134.0Bright
144.0Bright
154.1Bright
164.1Bright
174.1Bright
184.2Bright
194.2Bright
204.2Bright
214.2Bright
224.2Bright
234.2Bright
244.3Bright
254.3Bright
264.3Bright
274.3Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.4Bright
314.5Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit DeKalb?

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

1.3
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in DeKalb.

What to pack for DeKalb in March

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

In March, DeKalb sees daytime highs around 46°F and nights near 29°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in DeKalb in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in DeKalb peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 19UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in DeKalb 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 DeKalb is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJul 1817 µg/m³Oct 229 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar16Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov10Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is DeKalb?

DeKalb sits at 41.9°N, 88.8°W, 879 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Sycamore, 5.0 mi away.

Topography around DeKalb

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around DeKalb has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 102 ft around an average of 883 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 308 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 850 ft.

The land around DeKalb is covered by artificial surfaces (35%), trees (23%) and grassland (23%) within 2 miles, cropland (84%) within 10 miles, and cropland (59%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
102 ft
10 miles
308 ft
50 miles
850 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Sycamore 5.0 mi · Wasco 18 mi · St. Charles 23 mi · Geneva 23 mi · Batavia 23 mi · Huntley 24 mi · North Aurora 24 mi · Belvidere 24 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 DeKalb (41.9295°, -88.7504°, elevation 879 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).