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Ottawa in March: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Planning a trip and want to know what the weather in Ottawa in March will be like? Take a look at our weather guide for Ottawa, based on historical data.
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March

Weather in Ottawa in March 2025

OK Weather
Chill
☁️
Cloudy
If you plan to visit Ottawa in March, the weather is typically alright, with an average high temperature of +37°F during the day and approximately 5 sunny days. Expect some snowy, though, as there are typically 11 snowy days in the month and around 38 mm of precipitation. The weather is changeable so you may have to pack for every eventuality. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+37°F
Avg. max. temperature
-20°F
Min.
+81°F
Max.
28 mm
Total precipitation
67%
Avg. humidity
3 m/s
Avg. wind
5 ☀️
Sunny Days
12 ⛅️
Cloudy
4 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Ottawa has OK weather in March.

Average temperature in Ottawa in March

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Ottawa for March based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

Going from a maximum of +46°F during the day to a minimum of +3°F during the night, the temperature in March averages around +37°F.

The average maximum temperature goes up 4% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +36°F to +37°F.

Is Ottawa warm or cold in March?

Ottawa is typically chill in March.

Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from +27°F to +37°F. The minimum temperature also goes up from +10°F to +21°F.

Pack a jumper and a jacket as there will be cooler temperatures.

Take a look at how March is compared to other months in Ottawa:

Climate in Ottawa in March

Ottawa weather looks like this, on average, in March and the surrounding months.
FebruaryMarchApril
Avg. temperature
+27°F+37°F+54°F
Min. temperature
-26°F-20°F0°F
Max. temperature
+55°F+81°F+90°F
Rainfall
12 mm28 mm71 mm
Wind
3 m/s3 m/s4 m/s
Humidity
70%67%62%
Air pressure
1016 HPa1015 HPa1013 HPa
Sunny days
354
Cloudy days
111210
Rainy days
1411
Snowy days
13114

March weather is still as ok as in February. It’s getting warmer as March arrives. The average maximum temperature goes up from +27°F to +37°F during the day. Prepare for more rain. Average rainfall goes from 12 mm to 28 mm. It feels drier, as humidity decreases from 70% to 67%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during March, staying around 3 m/s. The good news is there are likely to be more sunny days in March, from 3 to 5.

April brings much the same weather, it remains ok.

Wind

Wind speed in Ottawa in March based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 4 m/s getting up to 8 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Ottawa is gradually increasing during March, going from 3 m/s to 3 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during March in Ottawa based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 29% chance of rain on an average day in March, with total rainfall of approximately 37 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 9 mm, which is considered light rain. On average, there are about 9 rainy days during March, so prepare to bring an umbrella.
Here’s how March is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Ottawa wettest month is July, where a typical day has a 35% chance of precipitation and 91 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 3% chance of precipitation and 12 mm of rainfall per day.

Snow

Amount of snow in mm during March in Ottawa based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 13% chance of snow on an average day in March, with a total monthly snowfall of approximately 52 mm.

Here’s how March is compared with other months in the amount of snow, total mm:

How was the weather last March in Ottawa?

This is the weather in Ottawa in March 2023:
1 March
☁️
+36°F
2 March
🌨️
+38°F
3 March
☀️
+34°F
4 March
🌨️
+34°F
5 March
☁️
+40°F
6 March
☀️
+39°F
7 March
☀️
+32°F
8 March
☁️
+36°F
9 March
☁️
+36°F
10 March
☁️
+35°F
11 March
☁️
+36°F
12 March
☀️
+39°F
13 March
🌨️
+36°F
14 March
🌫️
+37°F
15 March
☀️
+38°F
16 March
☁️
+37°F
17 March
🌫️
+39°F
18 March
☁️
+42°F
19 March
☁️
+31°F
20 March
☁️
+41°F
21 March
☁️
+39°F
22 March
☁️
+35°F
23 March
🌫️
+38°F
24 March
☁️
+39°F
25 March
🌨️
+33°F
26 March
🌧️
+41°F
27 March
☁️
+46°F
28 March
☁️
+40°F
29 March
☁️
+46°F
30 March
☀️
+35°F
31 March
☀️
+37°F
In March 2023 Ottawa had 7 sunny days, 16 cloudy days, and 1 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +37°F, with an absolute maximum of +46°F and a minimum of +30°F. The average humidity was 73%, with a maximum of 99% and a minimum of 30%. The average wind speed was 4 m/s, with a maximum of 11 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in March?

Climate Change Over the Years

This is how Ottawa climate has changed over the last 43 years.

The climate in Ottawa in March has not changed that much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 1992 (+51°F) and the highest in 2012 (+56°F). The driest year was 1985 with only 469 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2017 with 1378 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Ottawa in March:

Is March a good time to visit Ottawa?

It’s always a good time to visit Ottawa, but the weather is changeable in March, so plan a mix of indoor and outdoor activities and exploring, and pack for every eventuality.

Can you sunbathe in Ottawa in March?

Not really, March is not the best time to sunbathe, unless you visit a local solarium.

Is Ottawa rainy in March?

Ottawa is usually dry in March. Plan your packing around outdoor activities and exploring.

Is it sunny in Ottawa in March?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in Ottawa in March, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.

Other cities in Canada

Check out the weather for other cities in Canada.

Monthly weather in Ottawa

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Ottawa, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2023.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.