Lake Tahoe weather in March

In March, Lake Tahoe sees average daytime highs of 44°F and overnight lows near 27°F, with 4.9 in of precipitation across 11.1 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 41°F in the first days to 45°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 hours at the start of March to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Lake Tahoe's 9th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lake Tahoe's year-round climate.

Daytime high
44°
9th warmest
Overnight low
27°
4th coldest
Precipitation
4.9 in
11.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:19 AM – 6:00 PM
Cloud cover
58%
9th clearest
Wind
4 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
5.28 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.7
out of 10

Lake Tahoe is city in El Dorado County, California, United States.

Density
505/km²
people per km²
Founded
1965

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 41°F in the first days to 45°F by the end.

A typical March day in Lake Tahoe reaches about 44°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 33°F and 54°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 4°F warmer than February and about 5°F cooler than April.

20°30°40°50°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14125
24125
34125
44126
54226
64226
74226
84326
94326
104327
114327
124427
134427
144427
154427
164427
174428
184428
194528
204528
214528
224528
234528
244528
254528
264528
274528
284528
294528
304528
314528

How March really feels in Lake Tahoe

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
wind chill below the day's low

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

Lake Tahoe weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan38° / 24°5.710.710.29.60.0
Feb40° / 25°5.211.21110.50.0
Mar44° / 27°4.911.110.711.70.7
Apr49° / 29°2.78.97.4132.0
May59° / 36°2.18.43.614.14.8
Jun70° / 44°0.84.30.714.77.9
Jul79° / 51°0.43.1014.48.4
Aug79° / 52°0.53.1013.58.5
Sep72° / 47°0.63.20.312.38.5
Oct61° / 38°1.74.82.1116.0
Nov47° / 28°3.27.96.79.91.6
Dec38° / 23°5.610.610.29.30.0

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 13% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 55%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14258
24258
34357
44357
54555
64555
74555
84555
94654
104753
114753
124654
134555
144654
154654
164555
174555
184456
194456
204456
214456
224456
234456
244456
254456
264555
274555
284555
294753
304753
314753

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Lake Tahoe gets around 4.9 in of rain and snow over 11.1 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 35% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14040
23939
33838
43838
53737
63737
73636
83635
93534
103434
113433
123332
133332
143332
153332
163432
173433
183533
193534
203634
213634
223634
233634
243634
253634
263534
273534
283534
293533
303433
313432

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 4 mph in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 4 mph on the calmest days to 4 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 hours 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 78 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:42 AM to 5:55 AM, and sunset from 5:45 PM to 6:15 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.06:425:45
211.16:405:46
311.16:395:47
411.26:375:48
511.26:365:49
611.36:345:50
711.36:335:51
811.36:315:52
911.46:305:53
1011.46:285:54
1111.56:275:55
1211.56:255:56
1311.66:245:57
1411.66:225:58
1511.66:215:59
1611.76:196:00
1711.76:176:01
1811.86:166:02
1911.86:146:03
2011.96:136:04
2111.96:116:05
2211.96:096:06
2312.06:086:07
2412.06:066:08
2512.16:056:09
2612.16:036:10
2712.26:016:11
2812.26:006:12
2912.25:586:13
3012.35:566:14
3112.35:556:15

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 5.28 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.4 kWh/m² to a high of 8.26 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 5.28 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.4Bright
24.5Bright
34.6Bright
44.6Bright
54.7Bright
64.7Bright
74.8Bright
84.9Bright
94.9Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.4Bright
195.4Bright
205.5Bright
215.5Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.7Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.9Bright
285.9Bright
296.0Bright
306.0Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Lake Tahoe

In seasonPeak

In March, Lake Tahoe sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Lake Tahoe's rainy season runs November–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is March a good time to visit Lake Tahoe?

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 Lake Tahoe.

What to pack for Lake Tahoe in March

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

In March, Lake Tahoe sees daytime highs around 44°F and nights near 27°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat, rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gearsun protection

UV index in Lake Tahoe 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 Lake Tahoe peaks around June 23 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 12Dec 13UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr8Very high
May10Very high
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep7Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Lake Tahoe 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 Lake Tahoe is worst in August — around 85 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 16.6× the cleanest month (December, 5 µg/m³).

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

0306090JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateUnhealthyModerateGoodAug 1679 µg/m³Dec 165 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar9Good
Apr9Good
May9Good
Jun14Moderate
Jul45Poor
Aug85Unhealthy
Sep34Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov6Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Lake Tahoe?

Lake Tahoe sits at 38.9°N, 120.0°W, 6,237 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Carson City, 20 mi away.

Topography around Lake Tahoe

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Lake Tahoe has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 427 ft around an average of 6,270 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 6,181 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10,850 ft.

The land around Lake Tahoe is covered by trees (50%) and water (29%) within 2 miles, trees (57%) and water (24%) within 10 miles, and trees (60%) and grassland (24%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
427 ft
10 miles
6,181 ft
50 miles
10,850 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Carson City 20 mi · Truckee 29 mi · Reno 42 mi · Sparks 43 mi · Sun Valley 47 mi · Spanish Springs 52 mi · Cameron Park 57 mi · Fernley 61 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 Lake Tahoe (38.9332°, -119.9844°, elevation 6,237 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).