San Rafael Abajo weather in March

In March, San Rafael Abajo sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 103 mm of rain across 21.1 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 11th-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 36% of the time in March, and the air most often feels humid.

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 San Rafael Abajo's 3rd-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see San Rafael Abajo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
1st warmest
Overnight low
19°
5th coldest
Rainfall
103 mm
21.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
5:49 AM – 5:45 PM
Cloud cover
51%
3rd clearest
Wind
4 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
6.13 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.1
out of 10

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 San Rafael Abajo reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 19°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs on par with February and on par with April.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12618
22618
32618
42619
52619
62619
72719
82719
92719
102719
112719
122719
132719
142719
152719
162719
172719
182719
192719
202719
212719
222719
232719
242719
252719
262719
272719
282719
292719
302719
312719

San Rafael Abajo weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 1st-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 18°13622.811.55.1
Feb26° / 18°8118.111.75.5
Mar27° / 19°10321.111.95.1
Apr26° / 19°26327.512.23.9
May26° / 19°66030.912.43.3
Jun25° / 19°7203012.63.3
Jul25° / 19°7433112.53.3
Aug25° / 19°8143112.33.3
Sep25° / 19°7483012.13.3
Oct25° / 19°7503111.83.4
Nov25° / 19°54729.811.53.5
Dec25° / 18°27527.711.44.2

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 29% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 35%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17525
27426
37525
47525
57525
67426
77327
87327
97327
107228
117129
127129
137030
146832
156832
166634
176634
186535
196337
206238
216139
226040
235941
245842
255743
265644
275644
285545
295446
305347
315149

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

San Rafael Abajo gets around 103 mm of rain over 21.1 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 69% and peaks near 79% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
164
263
363
462
562
661
761
861
961
1062
1163
1263
1365
1466
1567
1668
1770
1871
1972
2073
2174
2275
2375
2476
2576
2677
2777
2877
2978
3078
3179

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, March lands in the humid band about 49% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 48% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1554410
2554410
3553420
4553420
5553420
6553420
7553420
8552421
9453421
10453421
11453421
12453421
13453421
14354421
15353431
16353431
17352441
18351451
19350461
20250471
21249481
22247501
23246511
24245521
25243541
26242551
27241561
28239581
29238591
30236611
31235621

Wind in March

Winds average 4 km/h in March, the windiest month of the year.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 4 km/h on the calmest days to 4 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

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 5:57 AM to 5:40 AM, and sunset from 5:44 PM to 5:44 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.85:575:44
211.85:565:44
311.85:565:44
411.85:555:45
511.85:555:45
611.85:545:45
711.85:545:45
811.95:535:45
911.95:535:45
1011.95:525:45
1111.95:525:45
1211.95:515:45
1311.95:515:45
1411.95:505:45
1511.95:495:45
1611.95:495:45
1711.95:485:45
1812.05:485:45
1912.05:475:45
2012.05:475:45
2112.05:465:45
2212.05:455:45
2312.05:455:45
2412.05:445:45
2512.05:445:45
2612.05:435:45
2712.05:425:44
2812.05:425:44
2912.15:415:44
3012.15:415:44
3112.15:405:44

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 6.13 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.78 kWh/m² to a high of 6.13 kWh/m² in March across the year — March's 6.13 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.0Bright
26.0Intense
36.0Intense
46.0Intense
56.1Intense
66.1Intense
76.1Intense
86.1Intense
96.1Intense
106.1Intense
116.1Intense
126.1Intense
136.1Intense
146.1Intense
156.2Intense
166.2Intense
176.2Intense
186.2Intense
196.2Intense
206.2Intense
216.2Intense
226.2Intense
236.2Intense
246.2Intense
256.2Intense
266.1Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for San Rafael Abajo

In seasonPeak

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

San Rafael Abajo'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 San Rafael Abajo?

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

5.1
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
5.0
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

March is a reasonable time to visit San Rafael Abajo for sightseeing.

What to pack for San Rafael Abajo in March

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

In March, San Rafael Abajo sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 19°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 21 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectionlight clothes

Sea temperature near San Rafael Abajo in March

The nearest coast averages about 29°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 37 km away) is warmest in April at about 29°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°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in San Rafael Abajo in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in San Rafael Abajo peaks around February 22 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeFeb 22UV 14Dec 17UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in San Rafael Abajo 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 San Rafael Abajo 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 San Rafael Abajo?

San Rafael Abajo sits at 9.8°N, 84.3°W, 826 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Tejar, 12 km away.

San FelipeAserríAlajuelaSan Juan de DiosSan Rafael ArribaSan Jose

Topography around San Rafael Abajo

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around San Rafael Abajo has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 633 m around an average of 860 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,305 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,470 m.

The land around San Rafael Abajo is covered by trees (65%) and grassland (30%) within 3 km, trees (69%) and grassland (28%) within 16 km, and trees (59%) and water (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
633 m
16 km
2,305 m
80 km
3,470 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
March weather nearby: Tejar 12 km · San Rafael 20 km · San Felipe 22 km · Aserrí 22 km · Alajuela 22 km · San Juan de Dios 23 km · San Rafael Arriba 24 km · San Jose 25 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 San Rafael Abajo (9.831°, -84.2901°, elevation 826 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).