The strong winds experienced in March are a predictable result of large-scale atmospheric processes. Wind is the movement of air, driven by differences in atmospheric pressure. Air naturally flows from high pressure to low pressure, and wind speed is determined by how quickly that pressure changes over a distance—the pressure gradient force. March marks the transition from winter to spring, creating meteorological conditions that produce exceptionally steep pressure gradients and stronger winds.
The Role of Temperature Gradients
The foundational cause of March’s windiness is the dramatic temperature contrast that develops across the mid-latitudes. In early spring, the sun’s angle rapidly increases, warming land masses significantly. However, large bodies of water, such as oceans and the Arctic air masses, remain cold, holding onto winter’s chill.
This differential heating creates a steep temperature gradient—a sharp boundary where warm air meets cold air over a short distance. Warm air is less dense, leading to lower pressure, while cold air is denser, leading to higher pressure. The greater the temperature contrast between air masses, the greater the resulting pressure contrast.
Steeper temperature gradients lead directly to high wind speeds because the atmosphere attempts to equalize the significant pressure difference rapidly. Air rushes from cold, high-pressure regions toward warm, low-pressure regions, generating the persistent, strong winds characteristic of March. This atmospheric instability also creates deep turbulence that helps bring strong wind gusts down to the surface.
The Influence of the Jet Stream
The resulting temperature contrast powers and positions the polar jet stream, a ribbon of high-speed air circling the globe in the upper atmosphere. The jet stream forms and strengthens along the boundary between cold polar air and warmer subtropical air. Since this boundary is most pronounced in late winter and early spring, the jet stream is at its strongest and most active during March.
In late winter and early spring, the jet stream often tracks farther south than in summer, placing it over the mid-latitudes. The sharp temperature gradients fuel the jet stream, causing it to become highly energized and “wavy,” developing large meanders across continents. These dramatic dips and surges act like a conveyor belt for intense weather.
The jet stream’s position and speed directly influence surface weather by steering and fueling storm systems. As the jet stream moves, it guides low-pressure systems, often pulling strong winds from higher altitudes down toward the ground. The increased intensity and southerly track of this upper-level current in March mean the storm systems it pilots are more frequent and powerful.
Intensification of Low-Pressure Systems
The combination of a strong temperature gradient and an active jet stream leads to the rapid development and strengthening of mid-latitude cyclones. These low-pressure systems are responsible for strong surface winds and form along the polar front where contrasting cold and warm air masses meet. The intense clash provides the necessary energy for these systems to grow quickly.
When conditions are favorable, a low-pressure system can progress from its initial formation to maximum intensity in under 24 hours, a process called rapid intensification. The jet stream plays a direct role by creating areas of upper-level divergence—air spreading out—which causes the surface pressure to drop even faster. As the pressure at the center of the low drops, air is forced to rush inward more quickly.
This rush of air into the deep low-pressure center is the source of the strong, persistent winds felt on the ground. As these powerful, jet-stream-steered cyclones pass, they bring widespread high winds and intense weather variability, marking March as a windy month. The faster movement of the cold front within the cyclone also intensifies circulation, ensuring the winds remain strong before the system dissipates.