Salem weather in March

In March, Salem sees average daytime highs of 56°F and overnight lows near 37°F, with 4.0 in of precipitation across 10.6 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 52°F in the first days to 61°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 Salem's 8th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Salem's year-round climate.

Daytime high
56°
8th warmest
Overnight low
37°
5th coldest
Precipitation
4.0 in
10.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:39 AM – 6:21 PM
Cloud cover
59%
8th clearest
Wind
7 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
4.32 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.8
out of 10

Salem is independent city near Roanoke, Virginia, United States.

Density
675/km²
people per km²
Founded
1802

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 52°F in the first days to 61°F by the end.

A typical March day in Salem reaches about 56°F in the afternoon and slips back to 37°F overnight — a 20°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 41°F and 72°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 8°F warmer than February and about 10°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15233
25233
35233
45333
55333
65334
75434
85434
95434
105535
115535
125535
135535
145636
155636
165636
175637
185637
195737
205737
215838
225838
235838
245839
255939
265939
276040
286040
296140
306141
316241

How March really feels in Salem

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 18 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
18
wind chill below the day's low

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

Salem weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 8th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan45° / 28°3.38.62.69.70.9
Feb48° / 30°2.98.52.710.61.8
Mar56° / 37°4.010.6211.73.8
Apr66° / 46°3.510.20.212.96.0
May73° / 54°3.812.30146.4
Jun81° / 62°3.611.7014.56.0
Jul85° / 66°3.311.6014.35.2
Aug83° / 65°3.09.8013.45.9
Sep77° / 58°4.09.3012.36.9
Oct67° / 46°3.17.20.1116.6
Nov56° / 37°3.07.50.2104.1
Dec47° / 31°3.38.31.99.51.7

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 16% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 53%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14555
24654
34654
44753
54753
64753
74753
84753
94753
104753
114852
124852
134852
144753
154753
164753
174654
184654
194654
204555
214654
224654
234654
244753
254654
264753
274852
284753
294753
304852
314852

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Salem gets around 4.0 in of rain and snow over 10.6 wet days in March, the wettest month. 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 35% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1318
2318
3318
4318
5318
6328
7328
8328
9337
10337
11337
12337
13337
14347
15346
16346
17346
18346
19346
20346
21346
22355
23355
24355
25354
26354
27344
28344
29343
30343
31343

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 (%)
1991
2991
3991
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15982
16982
17982
18982
19982
20982
21973
22973
23973
24973
25973
26973
27973
28973
29973
30973
31964

Wind in March

Winds average 7 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
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

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 7:00 AM to 6:16 AM, and sunset from 6:06 PM to 6:35 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.17:006:06
211.16:596:07
311.26:586:08
411.26:566:09
511.36:556:10
611.36:536:11
711.36:526:12
811.46:516:13
911.46:496:14
1011.56:486:15
1111.56:466:16
1211.56:456:17
1311.66:436:18
1411.66:426:19
1511.76:406:20
1611.76:396:21
1711.76:376:22
1811.86:366:23
1911.86:346:24
2011.96:336:25
2111.96:316:26
2211.96:306:27
2312.06:286:27
2412.06:276:28
2512.16:256:29
2612.16:236:30
2712.26:226:31
2812.26:206:32
2912.26:196:33
3012.36:176:34
3112.36:166:35

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.32 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.17 kWh/m² to a high of 6.09 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 4.32 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.8Moderate
23.9Moderate
33.9Moderate
44.0Moderate
54.0Bright
64.1Bright
74.1Bright
84.2Bright
94.2Bright
104.2Bright
114.2Bright
124.3Bright
134.3Bright
144.3Bright
154.3Bright
164.3Bright
174.4Bright
184.4Bright
194.4Bright
204.4Bright
214.5Bright
224.5Bright
234.5Bright
244.6Bright
254.6Bright
264.6Bright
274.7Bright
284.7Bright
294.8Bright
304.8Bright
314.9Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Salem?

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

3.8
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.2
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Salem.

What to pack for Salem in March

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

In March, Salem sees daytime highs around 56°F and nights near 37°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Salem in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Salem peaks around July 13 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 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 highHighModerateJul 13UV 10Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Salem 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 Salem is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1416 µg/m³Dec 126 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar9Good
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Salem?

Salem sits at 37.3°N, 80.1°W, 1,066 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Cave Spring, 5.0 mi away.

Topography around Salem

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Salem has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 896 ft around an average of 1,138 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,061 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,852 ft.

The land around Salem is covered by trees (56%), grassland (22%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 2 miles, trees (81%) within 10 miles, and trees (81%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
896 ft
10 miles
3,061 ft
50 miles
3,852 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
March weather nearby: Cave Spring 5.0 mi · Roanoke 6.2 mi · Blacksburg 21 mi · Christiansburg 22 mi · Radford 31 mi · West Lynchburg 48 mi · Lynchburg 51 mi · Eden 58 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 Salem (37.2935°, -80.0548°, elevation 1,066 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).