Karakorum Weather in March

Though Karakorum weather in March remains cold, it is no longer freezing and challenging for outdoor activities in most time. Due to scarce precipitation, it remains quite dry with low humidity. Strong winds do blow in March and dusty days might be thus caused. But good news is that Karakorum enjoys plenty of sunshine and longer daylight hours in March, offering visitors better conditions for sightseeing.

Temperature: Overall Rising

As the overall temperature shows an upward trend, Karakorum climate in March, though cold, becomes milder and bearable. In daytime, the high temperature normally maintains between -3 and 7 degrees Celsius (26 - 45 degrees Fahrenheit) and the low drops to -15 - -5℃ (5 - 23℉) when night falls. During almost half of the month, the daily maximum degrees go above 0℃ (32℉) and it hovers around 15℃ (59℉) on warmest days. 

However, the rising trend is unstable since heavy winds hit Karakorum occasionally and leads to temperature drops. Instead of gentle, the wind is so strong that you may feel headache if wearing no hat for protection. 

Precipitation: Low Snowfall

Vast White Expanse in March

During March, Karakorum receives scarce precipitation of 4mm (0.16 in), distributed over 4 days on average. Therefore, the weather of Karakorum in March can be described as dry. It is further aggravated by the heating supplied in hotel rooms and you may be woken up at midnight by sore throat or bleeding nose. 

In most time, it snows lightly as drizzles or showers, unable to cause large disruption on your travel. On occasions, heavy snow occurs as well, but still not large enough to make roads blocked. A vast expanse of whiteness lasts for several days after snowfall, and then it melts gradually.

Sunlight: Plentiful and Bright 

With the daybreak at 06:47 - 07:46 and nightfall at 18:53 - 19:36, Karakorum in March is endowed with the daylength of 12 hours on average, in detail ranging from 11h7m to 12h49m. It is deduced that the daytime surpasses the night time on March 21, 2027. Thanks to the overall sunny climate of Karakorum in March, the sunshine duration reaches 8 hours per day on average. It creates a favorable weather condition for visitors to watch wonderful sunset on the vast expanse of gently undulating hills.

Is March a Good time to Visit Karakorum?

Generally speaking, you are not suggested to travel to Karakorum in March. From the perspective of weather, though not bitterly cold any more, it is far away from pleasant and sudden climate changes often occur such as temperature drops, strong winds, dusty days and possible heavy snow. In consideration of natural views, the grassland hasn’t revived green; you have the chance to see the vast snow scenery but not guaranteed because it doesn’t exist for the whole month. 

Erdene Zuu Monastery

However, compared with peak travel season, you spend less on hotel, car rental and air tickets when visiting Karakorum in March. If you still plan to visit it in March 2027 after considering all, the information below might be helpful to make you better prepared for the trip.

What to Wear in March in Karakorum?

Upper body: In March, two or three layers are needed. Thermal underwear with hoodies, knit wear or sweaters are good matches. It also works well to wear the heavier and padded ones alone. But thermal underwear remains useful to deal with possible climate changes. For the outer layer, you can choose from woolen coats, fleece-lined leather coats and down jackets.

Lower body: You can wear thick jeans or other windproof trousers with long johns. Fleece-lined sweatpants or thin down pants alone are also good alternatives if you are not used to long johns, but make sure their bottoms are tight.

Shoes: It is suggested to wear walking boots or fleece-lined sneakers since they are mostly non-slippery and cope well with the different road conditions in Karakorum in March. Meanwhile, you should prepare both thin and thick socks for temperature fluctuations.

Others: Gloves and scarves are quite necessary to keep warm when conducting outdoor sightseeing. Hats are also necessary to resist winds and they had better be heavy and large enough to cover your ears which are very sensible to coldness. Don’t forget skin care products and lip pomades, otherwise your skin might get dry and itchy. 

Tips for Visiting Karakorum in March

Wonderful Sunset in Karakorum

1. When there is strong wind, dust and sand on the bare ground might be blown up and swirl in the air, thus causing dusty weather and respiratory discomfort. It is suggested to wear protective masks and glasses to prevent the dust getting into your eyes, mouth and noses. If you already suffer from respiratory diseases like asthma, be sure to prepare relevant medicines for emergency. 

2. Since the sunset time varies a bit, if you intend to watch Karakorum sunset on certain day, it is suggested to check its real-time sunset time of that day and arrive at the suitable location dozens of minutes in advance.