Airlie Beach weather in March

In March, Airlie Beach sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 191 mm of rain across 17.6 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in March, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 24 min at the start of March to 11 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Airlie Beach's 10th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Airlie Beach's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
4th warmest
Overnight low
25°
9th coldest
Rainfall
191 mm
17.6 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
6:10 AM – 6:19 PM
Cloud cover
57%
10th clearest
Wind
21 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
5.65 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.4
out of 10

Airlie Beach is town in Queensland, Australia.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month.

A typical March day in Airlie Beach reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 1°C cooler than February and about 2°C warmer than April.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12825
22825
32825
42825
52825
62825
72825
82825
92825
102725
112725
122725
132725
142725
152725
162725
172725
182725
192725
202725
212725
222725
232724
242724
252724
262724
272724
282724
292724
302724
312724

How March really feels in Airlie Beach

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

March sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Airlie Beach weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 4th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 25°20117.613.15.2
Feb28° / 25°23318.412.74.7
Mar27° / 25°19117.612.15.4
Apr26° / 23°8613.911.56.4
May24° / 21°5010.511.17.1
Jun22° / 19°387.610.87.4
Jul21° / 18°284.410.97.8
Aug22° / 18°314.611.38.0
Sep23° / 20°133.611.98.5
Oct25° / 22°316.112.58.0
Nov27° / 24°598.4137.2
Dec28° / 25°10811.913.26.3

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 44%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14654
24654
34654
44654
54753
64753
74852
84852
94951
105050
115149
125248
135347
145446
155545
165644
175743
185842
195941
205941
216040
226139
236238
246238
256337
266535
276634
286733
296832
306832
316931

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Airlie Beach gets around 191 mm of rain over 17.6 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 58% and peaks near 66% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
166
266
365
465
564
663
762
861
960
1059
1158
1257
1357
1457
1557
1656
1756
1856
1955
2055
2155
2255
2354
2454
2554
2654
2754
2854
2954
3054
3154

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of March feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, March lands in the oppressive band about 62% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1066034
2076033
3086032
4086131
5096130
60106129
70116128
80126226
90146125
100156124
110166222
120176221
130176320
140186319
150196318
160196417
170206416
180206416
190206416
200216415
210216415
220216415
230216415
240226414
250226414
260236314
270246313
281256113
291276012
301295911
311315810

Wind in March

Winds average 21 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 20 km/h on the calmest days to 22 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
120light breeze
220light breeze
320breezy
420breezy
521breezy
621breezy
721breezy
821breezy
921breezy
1021breezy
1121breezy
1222breezy
1322breezy
1422breezy
1522breezy
1622breezy
1722breezy
1822breezy
1921breezy
2021breezy
2121breezy
2221breezy
2321breezy
2421breezy
2521breezy
2621breezy
2721breezy
2821breezy
2921breezy
3021breezy
3121breezy

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 min at the start of March to 11 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 36 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:05 AM to 6:15 AM, and sunset from 6:31 PM to 6:06 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.46:056:31
212.46:066:31
312.46:066:30
412.46:066:29
512.46:076:28
612.36:076:28
712.36:086:27
812.36:086:26
912.36:086:25
1012.36:096:24
1112.26:096:23
1212.26:096:23
1312.26:106:22
1412.26:106:21
1512.26:106:20
1612.16:106:19
1712.16:116:18
1812.16:116:17
1912.16:116:16
2012.16:126:16
2112.06:126:15
2212.06:126:14
2312.06:136:13
2412.06:136:12
2512.06:136:11
2611.96:136:10
2711.96:146:09
2811.96:146:08
2911.96:146:07
3011.96:146:06
3111.86:156:06

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 5.65 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.86 kWh/m² to a high of 6.98 kWh/m² in November across the year — March's 5.65 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.5Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Airlie Beach

In seasonPeak

In March, Airlie Beach sits inside its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Airlie Beach sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Airlie Beach's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is March a good time to visit Airlie Beach?

Our two travel scores rate March for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

5.4
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
5.6
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

March is a reasonable time to visit Airlie Beach for sightseeing.

What to pack for Airlie Beach in March

From March's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In March, Airlie Beach sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection and a windbreaker. About 18 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Airlie Beach in March

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in March — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 18 km away) is warmest in February at about 29°C and coldest in August near 22°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar28Tropical
Apr27Warm
May25Warm
Jun23Refreshing
Jul22Refreshing
Aug22Refreshing
Sep24Refreshing
Oct25Warm
Nov27Warm
Dec28Warm

UV index in Airlie Beach in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Airlie Beach peaks around February 9 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 7 (high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeFeb 9UV 16Jun 22UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul7High
Aug8Very high
Sep11Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Airlie Beach in March

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where March falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Airlie Beach is worst in November — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.6× the cleanest month (July, 4 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodNov 1614 µg/m³Jul 134 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb6Good
Mar6Good
Apr5Good
May5Good
Jun5Good
Jul4Good
Aug5Good
Sep6Good
Oct8Good
Nov15Moderate
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Airlie Beach?

Airlie Beach sits at 20.3°S, 148.7°E, 0 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Mackay, 109 km away.

KirwanRockhamptonGladstoneCairnsPort DouglasBundaberg

Topography around Airlie Beach

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Airlie Beach.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Airlie Beach has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 436 m around an average of 50 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 657 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,146 m.

The land around Airlie Beach is covered by water (52%) and trees (36%) within 3 km, trees (46%) and water (46%) within 16 km, and water (58%) and trees (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
436 m
16 km
657 m
80 km
1,146 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
March weather nearby: Mackay 109 km · Townsville 229 km · Kirwan 234 km · Rockhampton 392 km · Gladstone 477 km · Cairns 485 km · Port Douglas 543 km · Bundaberg 633 km

Australia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type I
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 90% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$65,130
2025
Happiness
6.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
0.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
4.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
none 38%Roman Catholic 20%Protestant 18%other Christian 4%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Airlie Beach (-20.2675°, 148.7147°, elevation 0 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).