The Dalles weather in March

In March, The Dalles sees average daytime highs of 51°F and overnight lows near 34°F, with 3.4 in of precipitation across 13.6 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 47°F in the first days to 53°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 48 min at the start of March to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is The Dalles's 8th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see The Dalles's year-round climate.

Daytime high
51°
8th warmest
Overnight low
34°
5th coldest
Precipitation
3.4 in
13.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:26 AM – 6:02 PM
Cloud cover
70%
8th clearest
Wind
4 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
3.67 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.2
out of 10

The Dalles is city in and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States.

Density
854/km²
people per km²
Founded
1857

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 47°F in the first days to 53°F by the end.

A typical March day in The Dalles reaches about 51°F in the afternoon and slips back to 34°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 42°F and 61°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 7°F warmer than February and about 7°F cooler than April.

20°30°40°50°60°70°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14631
24731
34731
44732
54832
64832
74832
84933
94933
104933
115033
125033
135034
145134
155134
165134
175134
185134
195135
205235
215235
225235
235235
245235
255335
265335
275336
285336
295336
305336
315436

How March really feels in The Dalles

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 29 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
29
wind chill below the day's low

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

The Dalles weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 8th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan39° / 29°4.614.66.78.90.0
Feb44° / 30°3.612.85.210.10.6
Mar51° / 34°3.413.63.111.62.2
Apr57° / 39°2.311.40.413.33.9
May66° / 45°1.67.9014.76.3
Jun73° / 50°0.95.1015.47.7
Jul82° / 55°0.31.7015.17.7
Aug83° / 55°0.31.9013.97.6
Sep74° / 50°0.83.2012.38.2
Oct60° / 42°2.38.40.210.75.2
Nov46° / 34°4.113.52.49.31.2
Dec38° / 28°5.315.37.78.60.0

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% 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 68%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23268
33367
43367
53268
63268
73268
83169
93169
103169
113169
123070
133070
143070
153070
163070
173070
183070
193070
203169
213169
223169
233169
243367
253367
263367
273367
283367
293367
303367
313367

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

The Dalles gets around 3.4 in of rain and snow over 13.6 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 44% and peaks near 46% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14318
24317
34317
44216
54215
64215
74214
84213
94213
104212
114212
124311
134311
144410
154410
164510
17459
18459
19468
20468
21468
22457
23457
24457
25446
26446
27446
28435
29435
30425
31424

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 4 mph in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 4 mph on the calmest days to 5 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 48 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 96 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:54 AM to 5:57 AM, and sunset from 5:42 PM to 6:22 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.86:545:42
210.86:525:43
310.96:515:45
411.06:495:46
511.06:475:47
611.16:455:49
711.16:435:50
811.26:415:52
911.26:405:53
1011.36:385:54
1111.36:365:56
1211.46:345:57
1311.46:325:58
1411.56:306:00
1511.56:286:01
1611.66:266:02
1711.76:246:04
1811.76:226:05
1911.86:206:06
2011.86:196:08
2111.96:176:09
2211.96:156:10
2312.06:136:12
2412.06:116:13
2512.16:096:14
2612.26:076:16
2712.26:056:17
2812.36:036:18
2912.36:016:20
3012.45:596:21
3112.45:576:22

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 3.67 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.24 kWh/m² to a high of 7.69 kWh/m² in July across the year — March's 3.67 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.0Moderate
23.0Moderate
33.1Moderate
43.1Moderate
53.2Moderate
63.2Moderate
73.3Moderate
83.3Moderate
93.4Moderate
103.4Moderate
113.4Moderate
123.5Moderate
133.5Moderate
143.6Moderate
153.6Moderate
163.7Moderate
173.7Moderate
183.8Moderate
193.8Moderate
203.9Moderate
213.9Moderate
224.0Moderate
234.0Bright
244.0Bright
254.1Bright
264.1Bright
274.2Bright
284.2Bright
294.3Bright
304.3Bright
314.4Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for The Dalles

In seasonPeak

In March, The Dalles sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

The Dalles's rainy season runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is March a good time to visit The Dalles?

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

2.2
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 The Dalles.

What to pack for The Dalles in March

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

In March, The Dalles sees daytime highs around 51°F and nights near 34°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 14 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in The Dalles 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 The Dalles peaks around July 16 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 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 16UV 8Dec 13UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul9Very high
Aug7High
Sep5Moderate
Oct4Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in The Dalles 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 The Dalles is worst in August — around 43 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 8.8× the cleanest month (December, 5 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 2041 µg/m³Dec 245 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan5Good
Feb6Good
Mar8Good
Apr8Good
May8Good
Jun8Good
Jul8Good
Aug43Poor
Sep29Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov9Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is The Dalles?

The Dalles sits at 45.6°N, 121.2°W, 253 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Washougal, 57 mi away.

Topography around The Dalles

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around The Dalles has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,047 ft around an average of 397 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,140 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 12,215 ft.

The land around The Dalles is covered by trees (38%), grassland (29%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 2 miles, grassland (58%) and trees (24%) within 10 miles, and trees (50%) and grassland (39%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
1,047 ft
10 miles
3,140 ft
50 miles
12,215 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Washougal 57 mi · Troutdale 58 mi · Camas 59 mi · Gresham 61 mi · Happy Valley 66 mi · Battle Ground 66 mi · Orchards 67 mi · Lents 68 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 The Dalles (45.5946°, -121.1787°, elevation 253 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).