Harrisonburg weather in March

In March, Harrisonburg sees average daytime highs of 53°F and overnight lows near 33°F, with 3.3 in of precipitation across 10.1 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 49°F in the first days to 58°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 06 min at the start of March to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Harrisonburg's 7th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Harrisonburg's year-round climate.

Daytime high
53°
9th warmest
Overnight low
33°
4th coldest
Precipitation
3.3 in
10.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:34 AM – 6:16 PM
Cloud cover
60%
7th clearest
Wind
6 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
4.27 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.1
out of 10

Harrisonburg is independent city in Virginia, United States.

Density
1,161/km²
people per km²
Founded
1779

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 49°F in the first days to 58°F by the end.

A typical March day in Harrisonburg reaches about 53°F in the afternoon and slips back to 33°F overnight — a 20°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 39°F and 68°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 8°F warmer than February and about 11°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14829
24929
34930
44930
55030
65030
75031
85131
95131
105131
115232
125232
135232
145233
155333
165333
175334
185334
195434
205435
215435
225535
235536
245636
255636
265637
275737
285737
295838
305838
315938

How March really feels in Harrisonburg

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 26 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
26
wind chill below the day's low

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

Harrisonburg weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan42° / 25°2.77.83.29.60.2
Feb45° / 26°2.47.8310.51.0
Mar53° / 33°3.310.12.411.73.1
Apr64° / 43°3.1100.4135.6
May72° / 52°3.512.1014.16.3
Jun80° / 61°2.810.9014.66.3
Jul84° / 65°3.111014.45.5
Aug82° / 64°2.39.5013.56.1
Sep76° / 57°3.68.4012.37.1
Oct65° / 45°2.86.90.2116.3
Nov54° / 35°2.67.20.59.93.5
Dec45° / 29°2.98.22.19.41.0

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24852
34852
44852
54951
64951
74951
84951
94951
104852
114852
124852
134753
144753
154753
164555
174555
184456
194456
204456
214357
224456
234456
244456
254456
264555
274555
284555
294654
304753
314753

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Harrisonburg gets around 3.3 in of rain and snow over 10.1 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 32% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13111
23111
33111
43110
53110
63110
73110
83110
9319
10319
11319
12318
13318
14318
15318
16317
17317
18327
19327
20326
21326
22336
23336
24335
25335
26335
27345
28344
29334
30334
31334

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
111000
121000
131000
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
19991
20991
21991
22991
23991
24991
25991
26982
27982
28982
29982
30982
31982

Wind in March

Winds average 6 mph in March, the windiest month of the year.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 6 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 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 72 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:57 AM to 6:11 AM, and sunset from 6:01 PM to 6:30 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.16:576:01
211.16:556:02
311.16:546:03
411.26:536:04
511.26:516:05
611.36:506:06
711.36:486:07
811.46:476:08
911.46:456:09
1011.46:446:10
1111.56:426:11
1211.56:416:12
1311.66:396:13
1411.66:386:14
1511.66:366:15
1611.76:346:16
1711.76:336:17
1811.86:316:18
1911.86:306:19
2011.96:286:20
2111.96:276:21
2211.96:256:22
2312.06:236:23
2412.06:226:24
2512.16:206:25
2612.16:196:26
2712.26:176:27
2812.26:156:27
2912.26:146:28
3012.36:126:29
3112.36:116:30

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.27 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.06 kWh/m² to a high of 6.15 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 4.27 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.8Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.9Moderate
43.9Moderate
54.0Moderate
64.0Bright
74.1Bright
84.1Bright
94.1Bright
104.2Bright
114.2Bright
124.2Bright
134.2Bright
144.3Bright
154.3Bright
164.3Bright
174.3Bright
184.3Bright
194.3Bright
204.4Bright
214.4Bright
224.4Bright
234.5Bright
244.5Bright
254.5Bright
264.6Bright
274.6Bright
284.7Bright
294.7Bright
304.8Bright
314.8Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Harrisonburg?

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

3.1
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 Harrisonburg.

What to pack for Harrisonburg in March

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

In March, Harrisonburg sees daytime highs around 53°F and nights near 33°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Harrisonburg in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 5 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Harrisonburg peaks around June 23 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Nov 187 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr14Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Harrisonburg?

Harrisonburg sits at 38.4°N, 78.9°W, 1,325 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Staunton, 24 mi away.

Topography around Harrisonburg

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Harrisonburg has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 453 ft around an average of 1,388 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,241 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,701 ft.

The land around Harrisonburg is covered by artificial surfaces (36%), trees (32%) and grassland (24%) within 2 miles, trees (38%) and grassland (38%) within 10 miles, and trees (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
453 ft
10 miles
2,241 ft
50 miles
4,701 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
March weather nearby: Staunton 24 mi · Waynesboro 26 mi · Charlottesville 36 mi · Culpeper 47 mi · Front Royal 48 mi · Winchester 63 mi · Linton Hall 73 mi · Lynchburg 73 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 Harrisonburg (38.4496°, -78.8689°, elevation 1,325 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).