Valparaiso weather in March

In March, Valparaiso sees average daytime highs of 46°F and overnight lows near 30°F, with 3.0 in of precipitation across 10.5 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 40°F in the first days to 51°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% 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 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Valparaiso's 8th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Valparaiso's year-round climate.

Daytime high
46°
9th warmest
Overnight low
30°
4th coldest
Precipitation
3.0 in
10.5 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:08 AM – 5:48 PM
Cloud cover
66%
8th clearest
Wind
10 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
4.1 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.1
out of 10

Valparaiso is city in Porter County, Indiana, United States.

Density
809/km²
people per km²
Founded
1836

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 40°F in the first days to 51°F by the end.

A typical March day in Valparaiso reaches about 46°F in the afternoon and slips back to 30°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 32°F and 62°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 10°F warmer than February and about 12°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13926
24026
34026
44026
54127
64127
74227
84228
94328
104328
114429
124429
134429
144530
154530
164631
174631
184631
194732
204732
214732
224833
234833
244933
254934
264934
275034
285035
295135
305135
315236

How March really feels in Valparaiso

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.

Valparaiso weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 20°2.710.47.29.30.0
Feb35° / 22°2.185.310.30.0
Mar46° / 30°3.010.53.411.71.1
Apr58° / 41°4.212.41.113.13.9
May68° / 52°4.512.9014.35.9
Jun78° / 62°4.111.9014.96.3
Jul82° / 66°3.911.9014.76.2
Aug80° / 64°3.911.1013.76.5
Sep74° / 57°3.29.1012.37.0
Oct62° / 46°3.3100.210.95.2
Nov48° / 35°2.99.61.79.71.8
Dec37° / 26°2.49.34.99.10.0

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 62%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23268
33466
43466
53565
63565
73664
83664
93763
103961
113862
123961
133961
144060
154060
164159
174159
184159
194159
204060
214060
224060
233961
243961
253961
263763
273763
283763
293763
303763
313664

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Valparaiso gets around 3.0 in of rain and snow over 10.5 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 39% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13419
23418
33418
43417
53417
63316
73315
83315
93214
103213
113213
123212
133212
143211
153211
163210
173210
183210
19339
20339
21349
22348
23358
24368
25367
26377
27377
28386
29386
30396
31396

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
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
19982
20982
21982
22982
23982
24982
25982
26991
27991
28991
29991
30982
31982

Wind in March

Winds average 10 mph in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze
3110light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 hours 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 84 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:33 AM to 5:42 AM, and sunset from 5:30 PM to 6:04 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.06:335:30
211.06:315:31
311.06:305:33
411.16:285:34
511.16:275:35
611.26:255:36
711.26:235:37
811.36:225:38
911.36:205:40
1011.46:185:41
1111.46:175:42
1211.56:155:43
1311.56:135:44
1411.66:125:45
1511.66:105:46
1611.76:085:48
1711.76:075:49
1811.86:055:50
1911.86:035:51
2011.86:015:52
2111.96:005:53
2211.95:585:54
2312.05:565:55
2412.05:545:57
2512.15:535:58
2612.15:515:59
2712.25:496:00
2812.25:476:01
2912.35:466:02
3012.35:446:03
3112.45:426:04

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.1 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.58 kWh/m² to a high of 6.55 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 4.1 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.5Moderate
23.5Moderate
33.6Moderate
43.6Moderate
53.7Moderate
63.7Moderate
73.8Moderate
83.8Moderate
93.9Moderate
103.9Moderate
114.0Moderate
124.0Bright
134.0Bright
144.1Bright
154.1Bright
164.2Bright
174.2Bright
184.2Bright
194.2Bright
204.3Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.4Bright
244.4Bright
254.4Bright
264.4Bright
274.5Bright
284.5Bright
294.5Bright
304.6Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Valparaiso?

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

1.1
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 Valparaiso.

What to pack for Valparaiso in March

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

In March, Valparaiso sees daytime highs around 46°F and nights near 30°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Valparaiso in March

The nearest coast averages about 35°F in March — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 19 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in February near 35°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 10 to Sep 16 — about 2.3 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan38Bracing
Feb35Bracing
Mar35Bracing
Apr39Bracing
May46Bracing
Jun59Cool
Jul70Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep68Refreshing
Oct58Bracing
Nov49Bracing
Dec42Bracing

UV index in Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso peaks around June 21 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 21UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1516 µg/m³Oct 228 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Valparaiso?

Valparaiso sits at 41.5°N, 87.1°W, 794 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Portage, 9.3 mi away.

Topography around Valparaiso

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Valparaiso has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 217 ft around an average of 774 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 315 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 689 ft.

The land around Valparaiso is covered by trees (46%), artificial surfaces (28%) and grassland (22%) within 2 miles, cropland (46%) and trees (30%) within 10 miles, and cropland (45%) and water (22%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
217 ft
10 miles
315 ft
50 miles
689 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Portage 9.3 mi · Hobart 11 mi · Merrillville 14 mi · Crown Point 16 mi · Gary 17 mi · Michigan City 18 mi · Griffith 19 mi · La Porte 21 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 Valparaiso (41.4731°, -87.0611°, elevation 794 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).