Paraíso weather in March

In March, Paraíso sees average daytime highs of 21°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 43 mm of rain across 8.9 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 21°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 48 min at the start of March to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Paraíso's 3rd-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Paraíso's year-round climate.

Daytime high
21°
6th warmest
Overnight low
12°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
43 mm
8.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
5:47 AM – 5:43 PM
Cloud cover
57%
3rd clearest
Wind
6 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.97 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.7
out of 10

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 21°C through the month.

A typical March day in Paraíso reaches about 21°C in the afternoon and slips back to 12°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 23°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs on par with February and on par with April.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12112
22112
32112
42112
52112
62112
72112
82112
92112
102112
112112
122112
132112
142112
152112
162112
172112
182112
192112
202112
212112
222112
232112
242112
252113
262113
272113
282113
292213
302213
312213

Paraíso weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 6th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan20° / 12°628.911.56.5
Feb20° / 12°457.111.76.8
Mar21° / 12°438.911.96.7
Apr22° / 13°6711.812.26.0
May22° / 14°33124.912.44.0
Jun21° / 15°29626.812.63.7
Jul21° / 14°21526.212.53.8
Aug21° / 14°25426.812.33.7
Sep21° / 14°34327.312.13.6
Oct21° / 14°42528.611.83.5
Nov20° / 14°27422.811.54.2
Dec20° / 13°11714.111.45.6

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 47%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15941
26040
36040
46040
56040
66040
76040
86040
95941
105941
115842
125842
135743
145644
155545
165347
175248
185149
195050
204951
214852
224654
234654
244555
254555
264555
274456
284456
294456
304456
314357

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Paraíso gets around 43 mm of rain over 8.9 wet days in March, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 29% and peaks near 32% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
127
227
327
426
526
626
726
826
926
1026
1126
1226
1327
1427
1528
1628
1729
1829
1930
2030
2131
2231
2332
2432
2532
2632
2731
2831
2931
3030
3130

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, March lands in the dry band about 68% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
170282
270282
370282
471281
571281
672271
772271
872271
972271
1072271
1172271
1271281
1371281
1471281
1571281
1670291
1770291
1869301
1969301
2068311
2167321
2267321
2366331
2465341
2564351
2664351
2763361
2862371
2960382
3059392
3158402

Wind in March

Winds average 6 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 min at the start of March to 12 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 5:55 AM to 5:38 AM, and sunset from 5:43 PM to 5:43 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.85:555:43
211.85:545:43
311.85:545:43
411.85:535:43
511.85:535:43
611.85:525:43
711.85:525:43
811.95:515:43
911.95:515:43
1011.95:505:43
1111.95:505:43
1211.95:495:43
1311.95:495:43
1411.95:485:43
1511.95:485:43
1611.95:475:43
1711.95:475:43
1812.05:465:43
1912.05:455:43
2012.05:455:43
2112.05:445:43
2212.05:445:43
2312.05:435:43
2412.05:425:43
2512.05:425:43
2612.05:415:43
2712.05:415:43
2812.05:405:43
2912.15:395:43
3012.15:395:43
3112.15:385:43

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 5.97 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.75 kWh/m² to a high of 5.97 kWh/m² in March across the year — March's 5.97 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.9Bright
45.9Bright
55.9Bright
65.9Bright
75.9Bright
85.9Bright
95.9Bright
106.0Bright
116.0Bright
126.0Bright
136.0Bright
146.0Bright
156.0Bright
166.0Bright
176.0Bright
186.0Bright
196.0Bright
206.0Bright
216.0Bright
226.0Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Bright
256.0Bright
266.0Bright
276.0Bright
286.0Bright
296.0Bright
306.0Bright
316.0Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Paraíso

In seasonPeak

None of Paraíso's seasonal hazards are active in March. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Paraíso's rainy season runs May–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is March a good time to visit Paraíso?

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

6.7
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
4.1
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

March is a reasonable time to visit Paraíso for sightseeing.

What to pack for Paraíso in March

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

In March, Paraíso sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 12°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 9 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Paraíso in March

The nearest coast averages about 30°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 59 km away) is warmest in March at about 30°C and coldest in November near 28°C.

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

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar30Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Paraíso in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Paraíso peaks around March 19 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 19UV 15Dec 16UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec10Extreme

Air quality in Paraíso 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 Paraíso is worst in May — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (January, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodMay 1718 µg/m³Jan 149 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar11Good
Apr17Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov12Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Paraíso?

Paraíso sits at 9.8°N, 83.9°W, 1,306 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Cartago, 6.0 km away.

TurrialbaSan MiguelIpísPurral

Topography around Paraíso

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Paraíso has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 602 m around an average of 1,311 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,753 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,764 m.

The land around Paraíso is covered by trees (49%) and grassland (35%) within 3 km, trees (70%) and grassland (21%) within 16 km, and trees (75%) within 80 km.

3 km
602 m
16 km
2,753 m
80 km
3,764 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Cartago 6.0 km · San Diego 16 km · Patarrá 19 km · Curridabat 20 km · Turrialba 21 km · San Miguel 22 km · Ipís 22 km · Purral 22 km

Costa Rica travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 59% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$19,970
2025
Happiness
7.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
81%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
17.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
14.8
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 516
Religion
Roman Catholic 48%none 27%Evangelical and Pentecostal 20%other 3%

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 Paraíso (9.8385°, -83.8666°, elevation 1,306 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. 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).