Cologne

North Rhine-Westphalia Weather in March

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany in March.

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Cologne Winterberg Düsseldorf Schmallenberg

Thinking about venturing to North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany this March and curious about the weather conditions to expect? This page holds all the key information you seek, responding to your question:

What to Expect in North Rhine-Westphalia in March

North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany is a region in Germany. March in North Rhine-Westphalia generally has cold temperatures, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to high.

Temperatures

The average maximum temperatures are cold and range from 8°C (46°F) in Schmallenberg to 12°C (54°F) in Bedburg. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 3°C (37°F) in Bedburg and 0°C (32°F) in Schmallenberg.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, check out the map below.

Precipitation

In March, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Stemwede with an average of 62 mm (2.4 in) to high rainfall in Gummersbach with 105 mm (4.1 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine is fairly consistent across many areas. Cologne receives about 125 hours of sunlight in March, providing a good balance between sunny spells and cloud cover. If you're after more sunshine hours, take a look at our weather planner for other sun-rich destinations worldwide.

Explore North Rhine-Westphalia by month

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

Best Places to Visit in North Rhine-Westphalia in March

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across North Rhine-Westphalia.

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 North Rhine-Westphalia

What is the weather like in March for some of the most popular destinations in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany?

Temperature range in North Rhine-Westphalia (March)

Precipitation variation in North Rhine-Westphalia (March)

Cologne

In March Cologne generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 12°C (54°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C (37°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« February
March
April »
February
March
April
Max temperature
8°C (46°F)
12°C (54°F)
16°C (61°F)
Min temperature
1°C (34°F)
3°C (37°F)
6°C (43°F)
Monthly sun hours
80 hours
125 hours
173 hours
Monthly rainfall
82 mm (3.2 in)
74 mm (2.9 in)
58 mm (2.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
17 days
16 days
Weather conditions
poor
unpleasant
tolerable
Climate in Cologne →

Düsseldorf

In March Düsseldorf generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 12°C (54°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C (37°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« February
March
April »
February
March
April
Max temperature
8°C (46°F)
12°C (54°F)
16°C (61°F)
Min temperature
1°C (34°F)
3°C (37°F)
6°C (43°F)
Monthly sun hours
77 hours
113 hours
168 hours
Monthly rainfall
81 mm (3.2 in)
73 mm (2.9 in)
60 mm (2.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
17 days
16 days
Weather conditions
poor
unpleasant
tolerable
Climate in Düsseldorf →

Winterberg

In March Winterberg generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (34°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« February
March
April »
February
March
April
Max temperature
4°C (39°F)
8°C (46°F)
13°C (55°F)
Min temperature
-2°C (28°F)
1°C (34°F)
4°C (39°F)
Monthly sun hours
72 hours
110 hours
150 hours
Monthly rainfall
79 mm (3.1 in)
79 mm (3.1 in)
73 mm (2.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
17 days
16 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
unpleasant
Climate in Winterberg →

Schmallenberg

In March Schmallenberg generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 0°C (32°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« February
March
April »
February
March
April
Max temperature
4°C (39°F)
8°C (46°F)
13°C (55°F)
Min temperature
-2°C (28°F)
0°C (32°F)
4°C (39°F)
Monthly rainfall
91 mm (3.6 in)
88 mm (3.5 in)
78 mm (3.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
17 days
16 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
unpleasant
Climate in Schmallenberg →

Essen

In March Essen generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 11°C (52°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C (37°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« February
March
April »
February
March
April
Max temperature
7°C (45°F)
11°C (52°F)
16°C (61°F)
Min temperature
1°C (34°F)
3°C (37°F)
6°C (43°F)
Monthly sun hours
79 hours
105 hours
150 hours
Monthly rainfall
84 mm (3.3 in)
76 mm (3 in)
62 mm (2.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
17 days
16 days
Weather conditions
poor
unpleasant
tolerable
Climate in Essen →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in North Rhine-Westphalia, in Germany.

In our records: Germany March extremes

Notable March records observed across cities in Germany in our climate database (1976 – 2026). Historic readings can vary in quality, so treat these as illustrative.

  • From our sources, the wettest March day in Germany brought 258 mm (10 in) in Flensburg on March 18, 1981.

Popular cities in March

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in North Rhine-Westphalia in March.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Cologne 12°C (54°F) 3°C (37°F) 74 mm (2.9 in)
Winterberg 8°C (46°F) 1°C (34°F) 79 mm (3.1 in)
Düsseldorf 12°C (54°F) 3°C (37°F) 73 mm (2.9 in)
Schmallenberg 8°C (46°F) 0°C (32°F) 88 mm (3.5 in)
Essen 11°C (52°F) 3°C (37°F) 76 mm (3 in)
Bonn 11°C (52°F) 3°C (37°F) 70 mm (2.8 in)

North Rhine-Westphalia weather in March: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany in March?

March in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany brings unpleasant weather. In Cologne, daytime temperatures are typically around 12°C (54°F) and nighttime lows hover near 3°C (37°F).

What is the average temperature in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany in March?

In Cologne, the average daytime high in March is 12°C (54°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around 3°C (37°F).

Does North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany get a lot of rain in March?

Not particularly. Cologne averages just 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain in March, making it a mostly dry month for North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Is March a Good Time to Visit North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany?

Given the typically unpleasant weather conditions in Cologne, March may not be the ideal time to visit North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

On average, the best time to visit North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany is in May, June, July, August and September with generally perfect weather in Cologne. On the other hand, the months of January, February, November and December tend to have poor weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in North Rhine-Westphalia.

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

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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