Sterling weather in March

In March, Sterling sees average daytime highs of 54°F and overnight lows near 36°F, with 3.8 in of precipitation across 10 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 50°F in the first days to 59°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% 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 Sterling's 10th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sterling's year-round climate.

Daytime high
54°
9th warmest
Overnight low
36°
4th coldest
Precipitation
3.8 in
10 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:29 AM – 6:10 PM
Cloud cover
61%
10th clearest
Wind
7 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
4.14 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.3
out of 10

Sterling is City / Census Designated Place.

Density
1,950/km²
people per km²

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 50°F in the first days to 59°F by the end.

A typical March day in Sterling reaches about 54°F in the afternoon and slips back to 36°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 41°F and 69°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 9°F warmer than February and about 12°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14932
25032
35033
45033
55133
65133
75133
85234
95234
105234
115334
125335
135335
145335
155435
165436
175436
185436
195537
205537
215537
225638
235638
245638
255739
265739
275840
285840
295940
305941
316041

How March really feels in Sterling

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 21 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
21
wind chill below the day's low

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

Sterling 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
Jan42° / 28°3.08.639.60.3
Feb45° / 29°2.88.1310.51.1
Mar54° / 36°3.810211.73.3
Apr66° / 46°3.410.30.1135.8
May74° / 56°3.811.3014.16.5
Jun83° / 65°3.411.2014.75.5
Jul88° / 69°3.911.8014.54.4
Aug85° / 68°3.310.4013.55.1
Sep78° / 60°4.49.5012.36.7
Oct67° / 49°3.47.80116.5
Nov55° / 38°3.07.60.39.93.9
Dec46° / 32°3.59.12.19.31.3

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% 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 55%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14654
24654
34753
44753
54753
64852
74852
84852
94852
104753
114852
124852
134753
144654
154654
164555
174456
184357
194357
204357
214159
224159
234159
244159
254159
264159
274159
284159
294159
304258
314258

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Sterling gets around 3.8 in of rain and snow over 10 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 32% and peaks near 33% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1329
2329
3329
4329
5329
6319
7318
8318
9318
10318
11318
12317
13317
14317
15316
16316
17316
18326
19325
20325
21325
22325
23334
24334
25334
26333
27333
28333
29332
30332
31332

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 99% 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
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
19991
20982
21982
22982
23982
24982
25982
26982
27982
28973
29973
30973
31973

Wind in March

Winds average 7 mph in March, the windiest month of the year.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
117light breeze
127light breeze
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

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 6:52 AM to 6:05 AM, and sunset from 5:54 PM to 6:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.06:525:54
211.16:505:55
311.16:495:56
411.26:475:57
511.26:465:59
611.36:446:00
711.36:436:01
811.36:416:02
911.46:406:03
1011.46:386:04
1111.56:376:05
1211.56:356:06
1311.66:346:07
1411.66:326:08
1511.66:306:09
1611.76:296:10
1711.76:276:11
1811.86:266:12
1911.86:246:13
2011.96:226:14
2111.96:216:15
2211.96:196:16
2312.06:186:17
2412.06:166:18
2512.16:146:19
2612.16:136:20
2712.26:116:21
2812.26:096:22
2912.36:086:23
3012.36:066:24
3112.36:056:25

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.14 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.95 kWh/m² to a high of 6.15 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 4.14 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.6Moderate
23.7Moderate
33.7Moderate
43.8Moderate
53.8Moderate
63.9Moderate
73.9Moderate
84.0Moderate
94.0Moderate
104.0Bright
114.0Bright
124.1Bright
134.1Bright
144.1Bright
154.1Bright
164.2Bright
174.2Bright
184.2Bright
194.2Bright
204.3Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.3Bright
244.4Bright
254.4Bright
264.4Bright
274.5Bright
284.5Bright
294.6Bright
304.6Bright
314.7Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Sterling?

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

3.3
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.1
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Sterling.

What to pack for Sterling in March

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

In March, Sterling sees daytime highs around 54°F and nights near 36°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Sterling 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 Sterling peaks around July 10 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 10UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7High
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Sterling 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 Sterling is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (November, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1317 µg/m³Nov 129 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb12Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Sterling?

Sterling sits at 39.0°N, 77.4°W, 292 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Herndon, 3.1 mi away.

Topography around Sterling

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Sterling has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 266 ft around an average of 299 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 548 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,615 ft.

The land around Sterling is covered by artificial surfaces (42%) and trees (40%) within 2 miles, trees (62%) within 10 miles, and trees (65%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
266 ft
10 miles
548 ft
50 miles
3,615 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Herndon 3.1 mi · Ashburn 4.3 mi · Reston 5.6 mi · Oak Hill 5.6 mi · South Riding 7.5 mi · Great Falls 7.5 mi · Chantilly 7.5 mi · Wolf Trap 8.7 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 Sterling (39.0062°, -77.4286°, elevation 292 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).