Pekin weather in March

In March, Pekin sees average daytime highs of 51°F and overnight lows near 33°F, with 3.0 in of precipitation across 10.1 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 45°F in the first days to 56°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% 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 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Pekin's 9th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Pekin's year-round climate.

Daytime high
51°
8th warmest
Overnight low
33°
4th coldest
Precipitation
3.0 in
10.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:18 AM – 5:58 PM
Cloud cover
66%
9th clearest
Wind
9 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
4.1 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.4
out of 10

Pekin is city and county seat of Tazewell County, Illinois, United States.

Density
832/km²
people per km²
Founded
1829

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 45°F in the first days to 56°F by the end.

A typical March day in Pekin reaches about 51°F in the afternoon and slips back to 33°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 36°F and 67°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 12°F warmer than February and about 12°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14427
24427
34528
44528
54628
64629
74629
84729
94730
104830
114931
124931
135032
145032
155133
165133
175133
185234
195234
205335
215335
225335
235436
245436
255536
265537
275537
285637
295638
305638
315738

How March really feels in Pekin

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.

Pekin weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan34° / 20°2.18.34.89.40.0
Feb39° / 23°2.17.13.910.40.1
Mar51° / 33°3.010.11.711.72.4
Apr63° / 43°4.511.40.5135.1
May73° / 54°4.613014.26.2
Jun82° / 64°4.611.7014.86.0
Jul84° / 67°3.710.2014.65.5
Aug83° / 65°3.18.9013.66.2
Sep77° / 57°3.17.5012.37.3
Oct64° / 45°3.18.60.110.96.0
Nov50° / 34°2.98.119.72.4
Dec39° / 25°2.37.53.19.20.1

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% 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%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23763
33763
43763
53763
63763
73862
83862
93961
103862
114060
123961
133961
143961
153961
163961
173862
183862
193862
203862
213862
223862
233763
243763
253763
263763
273763
283862
293862
303763
313862

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Pekin gets around 3.0 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 33% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13011
23010
33010
4299
5299
6298
7298
8298
9297
10297
11297
12307
13306
14316
15316
16326
17326
18336
19346
20345
21355
22365
23364
24364
25374
26374
27373
28373
29373
30373
31363

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 98% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
110000
210000
310000
410000
510000
610000
710000
89910
99910
109910
119910
129910
139910
149820
159820
169820
179820
189730
199730
209730
219640
229640
239640
249640
259640
269550
279550
289550
299550
309451
319451

Wind in March

Winds average 9 mph in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 9 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
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 hours 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 84 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:42 AM to 5:53 AM, and sunset from 5:41 PM to 6:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.06:425:41
211.06:415:43
311.16:395:44
411.16:385:45
511.26:365:46
611.26:345:47
711.36:335:48
811.36:315:49
911.36:305:51
1011.46:285:52
1111.46:265:53
1211.56:255:54
1311.56:235:55
1411.66:225:56
1511.66:205:57
1611.76:185:58
1711.76:175:59
1811.86:156:00
1911.86:136:01
2011.96:126:03
2111.96:106:04
2211.96:086:05
2312.06:066:06
2412.06:056:07
2512.16:036:08
2612.16:016:09
2712.26:006:10
2812.25:586:11
2912.35:566:12
3012.35:556:13
3112.45:536:14

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.1 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.77 kWh/m² to a high of 6.4 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 4.1 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.6Moderate
23.6Moderate
33.7Moderate
43.7Moderate
53.8Moderate
63.8Moderate
73.9Moderate
83.9Moderate
93.9Moderate
104.0Moderate
114.0Bright
124.0Bright
134.1Bright
144.1Bright
154.1Bright
164.2Bright
174.2Bright
184.2Bright
194.2Bright
204.2Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.3Bright
244.3Bright
254.3Bright
264.4Bright
274.4Bright
284.5Bright
294.5Bright
304.5Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Pekin?

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

2.4
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Pekin.

What to pack for Pekin in March

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

In March, Pekin sees daytime highs around 51°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 Pekin 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 Pekin peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 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 highHighModerateJun 20UV 9Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Pekin 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 Pekin is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateModerateGoodJul 1916 µg/m³Oct 228 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Pekin?

Pekin sits at 40.6°N, 89.6°W, 502 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is East Peoria, 7.5 mi away.

Topography around Pekin

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Pekin has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 243 ft around an average of 509 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 384 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 535 ft.

The land around Pekin is covered by trees (32%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 2 miles, cropland (49%) and trees (30%) within 10 miles, and cropland (74%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
243 ft
10 miles
384 ft
50 miles
535 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: East Peoria 7.5 mi · Peoria 9.3 mi · Morton 9.9 mi · North Peoria 11 mi · Washington 16 mi · Normal 34 mi · Bloomington 34 mi · Galesburg 47 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 Pekin (40.5675°, -89.6407°, elevation 502 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).