Poughkeepsie weather in March

In March, Poughkeepsie sees average daytime highs of 47°F and overnight lows near 29°F, with 4.0 in of precipitation across 10.4 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 42°F in the first days to 52°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% 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 Poughkeepsie's 9th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Poughkeepsie's year-round climate.

Daytime high
47°
9th warmest
Overnight low
29°
4th coldest
Precipitation
4.0 in
10.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:16 AM – 5:55 PM
Cloud cover
64%
9th clearest
Wind
6 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
3.95 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.4
out of 10

Poughkeepsie is city in New York, United States.

Density
2,051/km²
people per km²
Founded
1686

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 42°F in the first days to 52°F by the end.

A typical March day in Poughkeepsie reaches about 47°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 34°F and 61°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 8°F warmer than February and about 13°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14225
24225
34226
44326
54326
64326
74426
84427
94427
104527
114528
124528
134628
144628
154629
164629
174729
184730
194730
204830
214831
224831
234932
244932
255032
265033
275133
285134
295234
305235
315335

How March really feels in Poughkeepsie

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.

Poughkeepsie weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan35° / 21°3.49.35.99.30.0
Feb38° / 22°2.98.24.910.30.0
Mar47° / 29°4.010.44.111.71.4
Apr59° / 40°3.810.8113.14.4
May69° / 50°3.711.6014.36.1
Jun78° / 59°3.811.60156.4
Jul83° / 64°3.510.3014.75.7
Aug81° / 63°3.79.4013.76.4
Sep74° / 55°4.08.6012.37.0
Oct62° / 45°4.390.210.95.4
Nov50° / 35°3.38.71.19.62.3
Dec40° / 27°4.0104.590.1

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% 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 60%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13961
24060
33961
44060
54060
64060
73961
83961
94060
104159
114159
124060
134159
144159
154159
164159
174159
184159
194159
204159
214159
224159
234159
244159
254060
264060
274060
284159
294159
304159
314060

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Poughkeepsie gets around 4.0 in of rain and snow over 10.4 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 34% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13416
23416
33416
43415
53415
63415
73415
83414
93414
103414
113414
123314
133314
143314
153314
163314
173214
183214
193214
203213
213213
223212
233312
243311
253411
263410
273510
28359
29369
30368
31368

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 (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
111000
121000
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
24991
25991
26991
27991
28991
29991
30991
31991

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 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 5:50 AM, and sunset from 5:37 PM to 6:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.96:405:37
211.06:395:39
311.06:375:40
411.16:365:41
511.16:345:42
611.26:335:43
711.26:315:44
811.36:295:46
911.36:285:47
1011.46:265:48
1111.46:245:49
1211.56:235:50
1311.56:215:51
1411.66:195:53
1511.66:175:54
1611.76:165:55
1711.76:145:56
1811.76:125:57
1911.86:115:58
2011.86:095:59
2111.96:076:01
2211.96:056:02
2312.06:046:03
2412.06:026:04
2512.16:006:05
2612.15:586:06
2712.25:576:07
2812.25:556:08
2912.35:536:10
3012.35:516:11
3112.45:506:12

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 3.95 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.59 kWh/m² to a high of 5.98 kWh/m² in July across the year — March's 3.95 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.4Moderate
23.4Moderate
33.5Moderate
43.5Moderate
53.5Moderate
63.6Moderate
73.6Moderate
83.7Moderate
93.7Moderate
103.8Moderate
113.8Moderate
123.9Moderate
133.9Moderate
143.9Moderate
154.0Moderate
164.0Bright
174.0Bright
184.1Bright
194.1Bright
204.1Bright
214.2Bright
224.2Bright
234.2Bright
244.2Bright
254.3Bright
264.3Bright
274.3Bright
284.3Bright
294.3Bright
304.4Bright
314.4Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Poughkeepsie

In seasonPeak

None of Poughkeepsie's seasonal hazards are active in March. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Poughkeepsie sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is March a good time to visit Poughkeepsie?

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

1.4
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 Poughkeepsie.

What to pack for Poughkeepsie in March

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

In March, Poughkeepsie sees daytime highs around 47°F and nights near 29°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Poughkeepsie 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 Poughkeepsie peaks around July 11 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 11UV 8Dec 23UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug5High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Poughkeepsie?

Poughkeepsie sits at 41.7°N, 73.9°W, 203 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Newburgh, 14 mi away.

Topography around Poughkeepsie

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Poughkeepsie has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 518 ft around an average of 171 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,355 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,370 ft.

The land around Poughkeepsie is covered by trees (54%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 2 miles, trees (80%) within 10 miles, and trees (88%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
518 ft
10 miles
1,355 ft
50 miles
4,370 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
March weather nearby: Newburgh 14 mi · Kingston 16 mi · Kiryas Joel 28 mi · Peekskill 29 mi · Cortlandt Manor 29 mi · Middletown 31 mi · Danbury 32 mi · Ossining 37 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 Poughkeepsie (41.7004°, -73.921°, elevation 203 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).