Galway weather in March

In March, Galway sees average daytime highs of 10°C and overnight lows near 4°C, with 78 mm of precipitation across 13.3 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 9°C in the first days to 11°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 24 min at the start of March to 12 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Galway's 7th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Galway's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10°
9th warmest
Overnight low
4th coldest
Precipitation
78 mm
13.3 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
7:02 AM – 6:30 PM
Cloud cover
78%
7th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.36 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.0
out of 10

Galway is city in Ireland.

Density
1,608/km²
people per km²
Founded
1124

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

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 9°C in the first days to 11°C by the end.

A typical March day in Galway reaches about 10°C in the afternoon and slips back to 4°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 7°C and 13°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 2°C warmer than February and about 2°C cooler than April.

-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
193
293
393
493
593
693
794
894
9104
10104
11104
12104
13104
14104
15104
16104
17104
18104
19104
20114
21114
22114
23114
24114
25114
26114
27114
28114
29114
30115
31115

How March really feels in Galway

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 10 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
10
wind chill below the day's low

The story in March is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Galway weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 9915.40.77.91.2
Feb / 8412.90.69.41.4
Mar10° / 7813.30.311.52.0
Apr13° / 7613.7013.73.0
May15° / 7913.5015.64.0
Jun17° / 10°7912.9016.64.8
Jul18° / 12°8414.5016.25.0
Aug18° / 12°9114014.65.1
Sep16° / 10°7512.3012.44.6
Oct13° / 9514.1010.33.3
Nov10° / 10114.408.42.1
Dec / 10415.20.47.41.3

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 79%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12575
22575
32575
42575
52575
62476
72377
82377
92278
102278
112179
122080
132080
141981
151981
161981
172080
182080
191981
201981
211981
222080
232080
242080
252080
262080
272179
282179
292179
302377
312377

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Galway gets around 78 mm of rain and snow over 13.3 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 43% and peaks near 48% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1482
2482
3482
4482
5482
6482
7472
8471
9461
10461
11451
12441
13441
14431
15421
16411
17401
18401
19391
20391
21390
22390
23390
24400
25400
26410
27420
28420
29430
30430
31430

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in March

Winds average 16 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
117light breeze
217light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze
3116light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 24 min at the start of March to 12 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 132 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 7:37 AM to 6:24 AM, and sunset from 6:02 PM to 6:58 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.47:376:02
210.57:356:04
310.67:336:06
410.67:306:08
510.77:286:09
610.87:266:11
710.87:236:13
810.97:216:15
911.07:186:17
1011.07:166:19
1111.17:146:21
1211.27:116:23
1311.37:096:25
1411.37:066:26
1511.47:046:28
1611.57:026:30
1711.56:596:32
1811.66:576:34
1911.76:546:36
2011.86:526:38
2111.86:496:39
2211.96:476:41
2312.06:446:43
2412.16:426:45
2512.16:396:47
2612.26:376:49
2712.36:346:51
2812.36:326:52
2912.46:296:54
3012.56:276:56
3112.66:246:58

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 2.36 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.49 kWh/m² to a high of 4.71 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 2.36 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.8Dim
21.8Dim
31.9Dim
41.9Dim
51.9Dim
61.9Dim
72.0Dim
82.0Moderate
92.0Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.1Moderate
122.1Moderate
132.2Moderate
142.2Moderate
152.3Moderate
162.3Moderate
172.4Moderate
182.4Moderate
192.5Moderate
202.5Moderate
212.6Moderate
222.6Moderate
232.7Moderate
242.7Moderate
252.8Moderate
262.8Moderate
272.9Moderate
282.9Moderate
293.0Moderate
303.0Moderate
313.1Moderate
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Galway?

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

2.0
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Galway.

What to pack for Galway in March

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

In March, Galway sees daytime highs around 10°C and nights near 4°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 13 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Galway in March

The nearest coast averages about 9°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 27 km away) is warmest in August at about 16°C and coldest in February near 9°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

10°15°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan9Bracing
Feb9Bracing
Mar9Bracing
Apr10Bracing
May12Bracing
Jun14Bracing
Jul16Cool
Aug16Cool
Sep15Cool
Oct14Bracing
Nov12Bracing
Dec10Bracing

UV index in Galway in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Galway peaks around August 11 at about 6 (high) — a little sun protection helps at midday. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 6 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateLowAug 11UV 6Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May5Moderate
Jun6High
Jul5High
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct2Low
Nov1Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Galway?

Galway sits at 53.3°N, 9.1°W, 10 m above sea level, in Ireland. The nearest listed city is Ennis, 48 km away.

EnnisLimerickAthloneTullamoreAn Muileann gCearrSligoTraleePortlaoise

Topography around Galway

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Galway has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 72 m around an average of 12 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 237 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 824 m.

The land around Galway is covered by water (35%), artificial surfaces (26%) and grassland (22%) within 3 km, grassland (54%) and water (33%) within 16 km, and grassland (65%) and water (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
72 m
16 km
237 m
80 km
824 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
March weather nearby: Ennis 48 km · Limerick 73 km · Athlone 76 km · Tullamore 104 km · An Muileann gCearr 117 km · Sligo 117 km · Tralee 120 km · Portlaoise 120 km

Ireland travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 85% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$131,592
2025
Happiness
6.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
96%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
3.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Roman Catholic 69%none 15%Protestant 4%Orthodox 2%

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 Galway (53.2724°, -9.051°, elevation 10 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).