Niigata weather in March

In March, Niigata sees average daytime highs of 9°C and overnight lows near 4°C, with 110 mm of precipitation across 18.6 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 7°C in the first days to 10°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 06 min at the start of March to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Niigata's 8th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Niigata's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
3rd coldest
Precipitation
110 mm
18.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:03 AM – 5:44 PM
Cloud cover
67%
8th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
3.93 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.4
out of 10
Air quality
Good
PM2.5 10 µg/m³ · 2010

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 7°C in the first days to 10°C by the end.

A typical March day in Niigata reaches about 9°C in the afternoon and slips back to 4°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 5°C and 13°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 3°C warmer than February and about 4°C cooler than April.

10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
173
273
373
484
584
684
784
884
984
1084
1184
1284
1384
1494
1594
1694
1794
1895
1995
2095
2195
22105
23105
24105
25105
26105
27106
28106
29106
30116
31116

How March really feels in Niigata

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 12 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
12
wind chill below the day's low

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

Niigata weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 17726.510.39.70.3
Feb / 11421.28.810.50.4
Mar / 11018.62.511.71.4
Apr13° / 9012.60.2133.5
May18° / 13°9911.80145.6
Jun22° / 18°12311.2014.66.3
Jul26° / 23°22615.2014.45.8
Aug28° / 24°16012.9013.55.7
Sep25° / 21°14614.2012.35.9
Oct20° / 16°15515.80115.4
Nov14° / 10°16419.70.2103.2
Dec / 19525.44.19.41.2

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 61%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13367
23367
33367
43367
53367
63367
73565
83565
93565
103565
113763
123763
133763
143763
153763
163862
173961
183961
194060
204060
214159
224159
234258
244258
254258
264357
274456
284456
294555
304555
314555

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Niigata gets around 110 mm of rain and snow over 18.6 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 59% and peaks near 65% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
16517
26416
36416
46415
56414
66414
76413
86313
96312
106312
116211
126211
136210
146110
15609
16608
17598
18597
19586
20575
21575
22564
23554
24554
25543
26543
27533
28533
29523
30523
31513

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 18 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
120light breeze
220light breeze
320light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1518light breeze
1618light breeze
1718light breeze
1818light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2317light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min at the start of March to 12 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 72 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:25 AM to 5:39 AM, and sunset from 5:29 PM to 5:59 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.16:255:29
211.16:235:31
311.26:225:32
411.26:205:33
511.26:195:34
611.36:185:35
711.36:165:36
811.46:155:37
911.46:135:38
1011.46:125:39
1111.56:105:40
1211.56:095:41
1311.66:075:41
1411.66:065:42
1511.76:045:43
1611.76:035:44
1711.76:015:45
1811.85:595:46
1911.85:585:47
2011.95:565:48
2111.95:555:49
2211.95:535:50
2312.05:525:51
2412.05:505:52
2512.15:495:53
2612.15:475:54
2712.25:455:55
2812.25:445:56
2912.25:425:57
3012.35:415:58
3112.35:395:59

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 3.93 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.62 kWh/m² to a high of 5.68 kWh/m² in May across the year — March's 3.93 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.3Moderate
23.3Moderate
33.4Moderate
43.4Moderate
53.5Moderate
63.5Moderate
73.5Moderate
83.6Moderate
93.6Moderate
103.7Moderate
113.7Moderate
123.8Moderate
133.8Moderate
143.9Moderate
153.9Moderate
164.0Moderate
174.0Bright
184.0Bright
194.1Bright
204.1Bright
214.2Bright
224.2Bright
234.3Bright
244.3Bright
254.3Bright
264.4Bright
274.4Bright
284.5Bright
294.5Bright
304.5Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Niigata

In seasonPeak

In March, Niigata sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Niigata sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Pacific typhoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is March a good time to visit Niigata?

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

1.4
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Niigata.

What to pack for Niigata in March

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

In March, Niigata sees daytime highs around 9°C and nights near 4°C. Pack a warm layer and rain gear. About 19 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Niigata in March

The nearest coast averages about 10°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 16 km away) is warmest in August at about 26°C and coldest in March near 10°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 22 to Oct 30 — about 4.3 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°20°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan12Bracing
Feb10Bracing
Mar10Bracing
Apr11Bracing
May15Bracing
Jun19Cool
Jul23Refreshing
Aug26Warm
Sep25Warm
Oct22Refreshing
Nov18Cool
Dec15Cool

UV index in Niigata in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Niigata peaks around August 13 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateAug 13UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Niigata 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 Niigata is worst in April — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Niigata's WHO annual average of 10 µg/m³.

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1216 µg/m³Oct 127 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar15Moderate
Apr16Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun11Good
Jul9Good
Aug8Good
Sep7Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Niigata?

Niigata sits at 37.9°N, 139.0°E, 1 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kameda-honchō, 8.0 km away.

Topography around Niigata

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Niigata has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 29 m around an average of 3 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 42 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,110 m.

The land around Niigata is covered by artificial surfaces (55%) and water (39%) within 3 km, water (52%) and cropland (24%) within 16 km, and water (45%) and trees (44%) within 80 km.

3 km
29 m
16 km
42 m
80 km
2,110 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Kameda-honchō 8.0 km · Niitsu-honchō 15 km · Shirone 18 km · Agano 19 km · Suibara 19 km · Maki 24 km · Gosen 24 km · Shibata 26 km

Japan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B
100 V · 50 / 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 65% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$35,951
2025
Happiness
6.1 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
99%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.2
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
3.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 446
Religion
Shintoism 49%Buddhism 46%other 4%Christianity 1%

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 Niigata (37.9226°, 139.0412°, elevation 1 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).