Waterloo weather in March

In March, Waterloo sees average daytime highs of 45°F and overnight lows near 27°F, with 2.5 in of precipitation across 9 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 37°F in the first days to 52°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 10 h 54 min at the start of March to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Waterloo's 7th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Waterloo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
45°
9th warmest
Overnight low
27°
4th coldest
Precipitation
2.5 in
9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:30 AM – 6:08 PM
Cloud cover
63%
7th clearest
Wind
10 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
4.18 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.1
out of 10

Waterloo is city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States.

Density
418/km²
people per km²
Founded
1868

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 37°F in the first days to 52°F by the end.

A typical March day in Waterloo reaches about 45°F in the afternoon and slips back to 27°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 30°F and 62°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 14°F warmer than February and about 14°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13620
23720
33720
43821
53821
63922
73922
84023
94123
104124
114224
124325
134326
144426
154427
164527
174628
184628
194729
204729
214830
224830
234931
244931
255031
265032
275132
285133
295233
305233
315333

How March really feels in Waterloo

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
10 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Waterloo 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
Jan26° / 11°1.46.85.69.20.0
Feb31° / 15°1.46.54.810.30.0
Mar45° / 27°2.593.411.61.1
Apr59° / 39°4.311.21.113.14.3
May70° / 51°5.0130.114.46.0
Jun79° / 61°5.112.4015.16.3
Jul82° / 64°4.210.3014.86.5
Aug80° / 61°3.99.5013.76.8
Sep73° / 53°3.78.6012.37.1
Oct60° / 41°2.88.30.410.85.2
Nov45° / 29°2.17.22.19.61.2
Dec32° / 18°1.76.95.18.90.0

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 13% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14258
24258
34258
44258
54357
64357
74357
84357
94456
104456
114456
124456
134456
144456
154456
164258
174258
184258
194258
204159
214060
224060
234060
244060
254060
263961
273961
283961
294060
304159
314159

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Waterloo gets around 2.5 in of rain and snow over 9 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 29% and peaks near 33% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12616
22616
32616
42615
52615
62614
72614
82614
92613
102613
112613
122712
132712
142712
152811
162811
172811
182811
192910
202910
21309
22309
23319
24318
25328
26327
27327
28327
29336
30336
31336

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
16982
17982
18982
19982
20982
21982
22982
23982
24982
25982
26982
27982
28982
29982
30982
31982

Wind in March

Winds average 10 mph in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 10 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
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light 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 10 h 54 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 90 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:55 AM to 6:03 AM, and sunset from 5:50 PM to 6:26 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.96:555:50
211.06:535:51
311.06:525:53
411.16:505:54
511.16:495:55
611.26:475:56
711.26:455:58
811.36:445:59
911.36:426:00
1011.36:406:01
1111.46:386:02
1211.46:376:04
1311.56:356:05
1411.56:336:06
1511.66:316:07
1611.66:306:08
1711.76:286:10
1811.76:266:11
1911.86:246:12
2011.86:236:13
2111.96:216:14
2211.96:196:15
2312.06:176:17
2412.06:156:18
2512.16:146:19
2612.16:126:20
2712.26:106:21
2812.26:086:22
2912.36:066:23
3012.36:056:25
3112.46:036:26

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.18 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.7 kWh/m² to a high of 6.37 kWh/m² in July across the year — March's 4.18 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.7Moderate
23.7Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.8Moderate
53.9Moderate
63.9Moderate
74.0Moderate
84.0Moderate
94.0Bright
104.1Bright
114.1Bright
124.1Bright
134.1Bright
144.2Bright
154.2Bright
164.2Bright
174.2Bright
184.3Bright
194.3Bright
204.3Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.4Bright
244.4Bright
254.4Bright
264.4Bright
274.5Bright
284.5Bright
294.5Bright
304.5Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Waterloo?

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 Waterloo.

What to pack for Waterloo in March

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

In March, Waterloo sees daytime highs around 45°F and nights near 27°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Waterloo 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 Waterloo peaks around June 18 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 18UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Waterloo 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 Waterloo is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateGoodJul 1916 µg/m³Oct 217 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr11Good
May12Good
Jun13Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct7Good
Nov8Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Waterloo?

Waterloo sits at 42.5°N, 92.3°W, 856 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Cedar Falls, 5.6 mi away.

Topography around Waterloo

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Waterloo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 151 ft around an average of 873 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 243 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 620 ft.

The land around Waterloo is covered by trees (39%) and artificial surfaces (39%) within 2 miles, cropland (64%) within 10 miles, and cropland (81%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
151 ft
10 miles
243 ft
50 miles
620 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Cedar Falls 5.6 mi · Marshalltown 42 mi · Cedar Rapids 49 mi · Marion 50 mi · Mason City 63 mi · North Liberty 64 mi · Newton 66 mi · Coralville 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 Waterloo (42.4928°, -92.343°, elevation 856 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).