Elmira weather in March

In March, Elmira sees average daytime highs of 43°F and overnight lows near 27°F, with 3.4 in of precipitation across 11 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 39°F in the first days to 48°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% 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 Elmira's 8th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Elmira's year-round climate.

Daytime high
43°
9th warmest
Overnight low
27°
4th coldest
Precipitation
3.4 in
11 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:27 AM – 6:06 PM
Cloud cover
71%
8th clearest
Wind
8 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
3.83 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.7
out of 10

Elmira is city in Chemung County, New York, USA.

Density
1,437/km²
people per km²
Founded
1864

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 39°F in the first days to 48°F by the end.

A typical March day in Elmira reaches about 43°F in the afternoon and slips back to 27°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 30°F and 59°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 9°F warmer than February and about 13°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13822
23822
33922
43923
53923
64023
74023
84024
94124
104124
114224
124225
134225
144226
154326
164326
174326
184427
194427
204428
214528
224528
234629
244629
254730
264730
274731
284831
294931
304932
314932

How March really feels in Elmira

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
5 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Elmira weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 18°2.69.97.59.30.0
Feb35° / 19°2.38.56.210.30.0
Mar43° / 27°3.4115.511.70.7
Apr56° / 38°3.712.31.813.13.6
May67° / 48°3.513.20.114.45.7
Jun76° / 57°3.711.60156.5
Jul80° / 61°3.311.3014.86.4
Aug78° / 59°3.410.7013.76.6
Sep71° / 52°3.99.6012.36.6
Oct59° / 42°3.610.40.410.84.4
Nov46° / 32°2.99.72.69.61.3
Dec36° / 24°3.09.75.390.0

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 69%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12773
22872
32971
42971
52971
62872
72971
82971
93070
103169
113169
123169
133268
143268
153169
163268
173268
183268
193268
203268
213268
223268
233268
243268
253268
263268
273268
283268
293268
303367
313367

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Elmira gets around 3.4 in of rain and snow over 11 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 36% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13622
23621
33621
43621
53621
63621
73620
83520
93520
103520
113520
123519
133419
143419
153418
163418
173417
183417
193417
203416
213516
223515
233615
243715
253714
263814
273914
283913
294013
304013
314013

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in March

Winds average 8 mph in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light 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 6:52 AM to 6:01 AM, and sunset from 5:48 PM to 6:23 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.96:525:48
211.06:515:50
311.06:495:51
411.16:485:52
511.16:465:53
611.26:445:55
711.26:435:56
811.36:415:57
911.36:395:58
1011.46:385:59
1111.46:366:00
1211.56:346:02
1311.56:336:03
1411.66:316:04
1511.66:296:05
1611.66:276:06
1711.76:266:07
1811.76:246:09
1911.86:226:10
2011.86:206:11
2111.96:196:12
2211.96:176:13
2312.06:156:14
2412.06:136:16
2512.16:126:17
2612.16:106:18
2712.26:086:19
2812.26:066:20
2912.36:046:21
3012.36:036:22
3112.46:016:23

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 3.83 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.43 kWh/m² to a high of 5.99 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 3.83 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.2Moderate
23.3Moderate
33.3Moderate
43.4Moderate
53.4Moderate
63.5Moderate
73.5Moderate
83.5Moderate
93.6Moderate
103.6Moderate
113.7Moderate
123.7Moderate
133.8Moderate
143.8Moderate
153.8Moderate
163.9Moderate
173.9Moderate
183.9Moderate
194.0Moderate
204.0Bright
214.0Bright
224.1Bright
234.1Bright
244.1Bright
254.1Bright
264.2Bright
274.2Bright
284.2Bright
294.3Bright
304.3Bright
314.3Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Elmira?

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

0.7
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Elmira.

What to pack for Elmira in March

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

In March, Elmira sees daytime highs around 43°F and nights near 27°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Elmira 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 Elmira peaks around July 10 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 10UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low
Location & terrain

Where is Elmira?

Elmira sits at 42.1°N, 76.8°W, 853 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Ithaca, 29 mi away.

Topography around Elmira

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Elmira has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 807 ft around an average of 948 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,204 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,228 ft.

The land around Elmira is covered by trees (48%), artificial surfaces (25%) and grassland (21%) within 2 miles, trees (71%) and grassland (21%) within 10 miles, and trees (72%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
807 ft
10 miles
1,204 ft
50 miles
2,228 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
March weather nearby: Ithaca 29 mi · Vestal 39 mi · Binghamton 45 mi · Cortland 48 mi · Auburn 60 mi · Williamsport 60 mi · Back Mountain 67 mi · Syracuse 74 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 Elmira (42.0898°, -76.8077°, elevation 853 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).