Ridgecrest weather in March

In March, Ridgecrest sees average daytime highs of 66°F and overnight lows near 44°F, with 0.7 in of precipitation across 3.1 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 62°F in the first days to 68°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 12 min at the start of March to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Ridgecrest's 9th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ridgecrest's year-round climate.

Daytime high
66°
8th warmest
Overnight low
44°
4th coldest
Precipitation
0.7 in
3.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:09 AM – 5:52 PM
Cloud cover
38%
9th clearest
Wind
6 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.84 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.3
out of 10

Ridgecrest is city in Kern County, California, United States.

Density
519/km²
people per km²
Founded
1963

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 62°F in the first days to 68°F by the end.

A typical March day in Ridgecrest reaches about 66°F in the afternoon and slips back to 44°F overnight — a 22°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 54°F and 76°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 6°F warmer than February and about 6°F cooler than April.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16141
26141
36241
46242
56242
66342
76342
86442
96443
106543
116543
126543
136644
146644
156644
166644
176744
186744
196744
206745
216745
226745
236745
246745
256845
266845
276845
286845
296845
306845
316846

How March really feels in Ridgecrest

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

March sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Ridgecrest weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 8th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan56° / 38°1.24.20.89.94.5
Feb59° / 40°1.34.30.610.75.5
Mar66° / 44°0.73.10.411.77.3
Apr72° / 48°0.31.4012.98.6
May81° / 55°0.10.6013.98.3
Jun91° / 63°0.00.3014.45.1
Jul96° / 69°0.10.8014.22.8
Aug96° / 68°0.10.5013.33.2
Sep88° / 63°0.10.5012.26.0
Oct76° / 53°0.31.2011.18.9
Nov64° / 44°0.41.80.210.17.1
Dec55° / 38°0.93.10.59.64.3

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% 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 29%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16832
26832
36832
46832
56931
66931
77030
87030
97030
107030
117030
127030
137030
147030
157030
167030
177030
187129
197129
207129
217129
227228
237228
247327
257327
267426
277525
287525
297624
307723
317723

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Ridgecrest gets around 0.7 in of rain and snow over 3.1 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 11% and peaks near 15% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1152
2152
3142
4132
5132
6121
7121
8111
9111
10111
11101
12101
13101
14101
15101
16101
17101
18101
19101
20101
21101
22101
23101
24101
25101
2691
2791
2891
2981
3081
3181

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 6 mph in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 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
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 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 66 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:29 AM to 5:47 AM, and sunset from 5:39 PM to 6:05 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.26:295:39
211.26:285:39
311.26:275:40
411.36:255:41
511.36:245:42
611.36:235:43
711.46:215:44
811.46:205:45
911.56:195:46
1011.56:175:47
1111.56:165:48
1211.66:145:48
1311.66:135:49
1411.66:125:50
1511.76:105:51
1611.76:095:52
1711.86:075:53
1811.86:065:54
1911.86:045:55
2011.96:035:55
2111.96:015:56
2212.06:005:57
2312.05:595:58
2412.05:575:59
2512.15:566:00
2612.15:546:00
2712.15:536:01
2812.25:516:02
2912.25:506:03
3012.35:486:04
3112.35:476:05

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 5.84 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.03 kWh/m² to a high of 8.66 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 5.84 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.1Bright
45.1Bright
55.2Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.4Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.9Bright
186.0Bright
196.0Intense
206.1Intense
216.1Intense
226.2Intense
236.2Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.4Intense
276.4Intense
286.5Intense
296.5Intense
306.6Intense
316.6Intense
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Ridgecrest?

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

7.3
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
2.9
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

March is one of the better times to visit Ridgecrest for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Ridgecrest in March

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

In March, Ridgecrest sees daytime highs around 66°F and nights near 44°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and sun protection. About 3 days see rain.

a warm layersun protection

UV index in Ridgecrest 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 Ridgecrest peaks around June 21 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 21UV 11Dec 17UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Ridgecrest 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 Ridgecrest is worst in August — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.8× the cleanest month (December, 5 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 2220 µg/m³Dec 165 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar9Good
Apr9Good
May8Good
Jun10Good
Jul14Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov6Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Ridgecrest?

Ridgecrest sits at 35.6°N, 117.7°W, 2,290 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Rosamond, 59 mi away.

Topography around Ridgecrest

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Ridgecrest has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 157 ft around an average of 2,303 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,516 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10,167 ft.

The land around Ridgecrest is covered by bare terrain (49%) and artificial surfaces (45%) within 2 miles, bare terrain (80%) within 10 miles, and bare terrain (51%) and grassland (26%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
157 ft
10 miles
2,516 ft
50 miles
10,167 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrain
March weather nearby: Rosamond 59 mi · Barstow 62 mi · Barstow Heights 63 mi · Lancaster 69 mi · Arvin 71 mi · Adelanto 73 mi · Lamont 75 mi · Palmdale 76 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 Ridgecrest (35.6225°, -117.6709°, elevation 2,290 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).