Vancouver island

Canada Weather in March

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Canada in March.

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Toronto Montréal Vancouver Whistler

Are you planning a trip a to Canada in March and wondering what kind of weather to expect? This page has all the details you need.

What to Expect in Canada in March

In March, Canada experiences a range of weather conditions, with temperatures that range from very cold to cold and precipitation levels ranging from low to heavy.

Temperatures

During the day the temperature is very cold in Alert at -27°C (-17°F) and cold in Langley at 11°C (52°F). As night falls, temperatures generally drop to 3°C (37°F) in Langley and -33°C (-27°F) in Alert. In numerous regions in Canada, March is marked by its cold weather conditions. If you're heading to these areas during this month, it's vital to be well-prepared. Dressing in layered and insulated outfits will ensure you stay warm.

To explore the conditions in Canada in more detail, check the map below.

Precipitation

In March, precipitation varies across different areas. From low snowfall in Alert with an average of 11 mm (0.4 in) to heavy snowfall in Zeballos with 332 mm (13 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine amounts are decent in most places. Toronto gets approximately 161 hours of sunlight in March, offering a reasonable amount of both bright and cloudy periods. Curious about sunnier destinations? Our weather planner makes it easy to find places worldwide with pleasant weather.

Explore Canada by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Canada — and find the best time to visit. (based on Toronto)

January1°C (34°F) February1°C (34°F) March5°C (41°F) April10°C (50°F) May16°C (61°F) June22°C (72°F) This monthJuly26°C (79°F) August26°C (79°F) September22°C (72°F) October16°C (61°F) November9°C (48°F) December4°C (39°F)
Best Time to Visit Canada →

Best Places to Visit in Canada in March

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across Canada.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in Canada

What is the weather like in March for some of the most popular destinations in Canada?

Temperature range in Canada (March)

Precipitation variation in Canada (March)

Toronto

In March Toronto generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 5°C (41°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -3°C (27°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« February
March
April »
February
March
April
Max temperature
1°C (34°F)
5°C (41°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
-7°C (19°F)
-3°C (27°F)
2°C (36°F)
Monthly sun hours
111 hours
161 hours
180 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
68 mm (2.7 in)
70 mm (2.8 in)
95 mm (3.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
10 days
10 days
11 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Toronto →

Montréal

In March Montréal generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 4°C (39°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -6°C (21°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« February
March
April »
February
March
April
Max temperature
-2°C (28°F)
4°C (39°F)
12°C (54°F)
Min temperature
-13°C (9°F)
-6°C (21°F)
1°C (34°F)
Monthly sun hours
128 hours
160 hours
179 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
72 mm (2.8 in)
78 mm (3.1 in)
110 mm (4.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
11 days
12 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Montréal →

Quebec City

In March Quebec City generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 2°C (36°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -9°C (16°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« February
March
April »
February
March
April
Max temperature
-4°C (25°F)
2°C (36°F)
9°C (48°F)
Min temperature
-15°C (5°F)
-9°C (16°F)
-1°C (30°F)
Monthly sun hours
120 hours
154 hours
170 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
84 mm (3.3 in)
89 mm (3.5 in)
115 mm (4.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
12 days
12 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Quebec City →

Vancouver

In March Vancouver generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 10°C (50°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C (37°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« February
March
April »
February
March
April
Max temperature
8°C (46°F)
10°C (50°F)
12°C (54°F)
Min temperature
2°C (36°F)
3°C (37°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
91 hours
134 hours
185 hours
Monthly rainfall
207 mm (8.1 in)
244 mm (9.6 in)
172 mm (6.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
17 days
15 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Vancouver →

Ottawa

In March Ottawa generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 4°C (39°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -7°C (19°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« February
March
April »
February
March
April
Max temperature
-2°C (28°F)
4°C (39°F)
12°C (54°F)
Min temperature
-14°C (7°F)
-7°C (19°F)
1°C (34°F)
Monthly sun hours
132 hours
168 hours
188 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
69 mm (2.7 in)
76 mm (3 in)
98 mm (3.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
11 days
11 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
unpleasant
Climate in Ottawa →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Canada.

Popular cities in March

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Canada in March.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Toronto 5°C (41°F) -3°C (27°F) 70 mm (2.8 in)
Montréal 4°C (39°F) -6°C (21°F) 78 mm (3.1 in)
Vancouver 10°C (50°F) 3°C (37°F) 244 mm (9.6 in)
Whistler 3°C (37°F) -5°C (23°F) 248 mm (9.8 in)
Victoria 10°C (50°F) 6°C (43°F) 113 mm (4.4 in)
Jasper -2°C (28°F) -11°C (12°F) 64 mm (2.5 in)

Canada weather in March: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Canada in March?

Canada typically experiences poor weather in March, part of the season. Daytime highs in Toronto average around 5°C (41°F), and temperatures drop to about -3°C (27°F) at night.

What is the average temperature in Canada in March?

In Toronto, the average daytime high in March is 5°C (41°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around -3°C (27°F).

Does Canada get a lot of snow/rain in March?

Not particularly. Toronto averages just 70 mm (2.8 in) of snow/rain in March, making it a mostly dry month for Canada.

Is March a Good Time to Visit Canada?

In our view, March might not be the best time to travel to Canada with often poor weather in Toronto.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in June, July, August and September offering mostly perfect weather in Toronto. In contrast, January, February, March, April, November and December tend to have poor weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Canada.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to Canada? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Canada.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

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