Ōfunato weather in March

In March, Ōfunato sees average daytime highs of 6°C and overnight lows near 1°C, with 99 mm of precipitation across 10.9 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 5°C in the first days to 8°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 hours at the start of March to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Ōfunato's 7th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ōfunato's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
3rd coldest
Precipitation
99 mm
10.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
5:52 AM – 5:33 PM
Cloud cover
60%
7th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
4.43 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.6
out of 10

Ōfunato is city in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.

Density
110/km²
people per km²
Founded
1952

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 5°C in the first days to 8°C by the end.

A typical March day in Ōfunato reaches about 6°C in the afternoon and slips back to 1°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 3°C and 10°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 3°C warmer than February and about 4°C cooler than April.

-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
150
250
350
450
550
650
750
851
961
1061
1161
1261
1361
1461
1561
1661
1761
1872
1972
2072
2172
2272
2372
2472
2572
2673
2783
2883
2983
3083
3183

How March really feels in Ōfunato

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 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
31
wind chill below the day's low

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

Ōfunato weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -1°557.74.39.60.0
Feb / -1°507.24.710.50.0
Mar / 9910.94.111.70.6
Apr10° / 10910.91132.4
May14° / 11°12911.8014.14.0
Jun18° / 15°13812.4014.75.1
Jul21° / 19°17615.5014.55.5
Aug23° / 21°16013.7013.56.1
Sep21° / 18°18814.1012.35.7
Oct17° / 13°16010.90115.3
Nov12° / 828.90.39.93.3
Dec / 709.52.99.30.7

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 48%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25050
35050
45050
55050
65149
75149
85149
95248
105248
115248
125248
135248
145347
155347
165347
175248
185248
195248
205248
215248
225248
235248
245149
255248
265248
275248
285149
295248
305248
315248

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Ōfunato gets around 99 mm of rain and snow over 10.9 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 34% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13116
23217
33217
43317
53317
63316
73316
83316
93316
103315
113315
123314
133314
143314
153313
163313
173312
183412
193412
203411
213511
223511
233611
243610
253610
263610
27369
28369
29378
30378
31377

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 19 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 18 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 hours 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 78 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:15 AM to 5:28 AM, and sunset from 5:18 PM to 5:48 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.06:155:18
211.16:145:19
311.16:125:20
411.26:115:21
511.26:095:22
611.36:085:23
711.36:065:24
811.36:055:25
911.46:035:26
1011.46:025:27
1111.56:005:28
1211.55:595:29
1311.65:575:30
1411.65:555:31
1511.65:545:32
1611.75:525:33
1711.75:515:34
1811.85:495:35
1911.85:475:36
2011.95:465:37
2111.95:445:38
2211.95:435:39
2312.05:415:40
2412.05:395:41
2512.15:385:42
2612.15:365:43
2712.25:345:44
2812.25:335:45
2912.35:315:46
3012.35:305:47
3112.35:285:48

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.43 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.13 kWh/m² to a high of 5.56 kWh/m² in May across the year — March's 4.43 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.9Moderate
23.9Moderate
33.9Moderate
44.0Moderate
54.0Bright
64.0Bright
74.1Bright
84.1Bright
94.2Bright
104.2Bright
114.3Bright
124.3Bright
134.3Bright
144.4Bright
154.4Bright
164.5Bright
174.5Bright
184.5Bright
194.6Bright
204.6Bright
214.7Bright
224.7Bright
234.7Bright
244.7Bright
254.8Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.9Bright
294.9Bright
304.9Bright
314.9Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Ōfunato

In seasonPeak

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

Ōfunato 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 Ōfunato?

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

0.6
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Ōfunato.

What to pack for Ōfunato in March

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

In March, Ōfunato sees daytime highs around 6°C and nights near 1°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Ōfunato in March

The nearest coast averages about 7°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 15 km away) is warmest in August at about 22°C and coldest in March near 7°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 26 to Oct 1 — about 2.2 months when the water holds above 20°C.

5°10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan10Bracing
Feb8Bracing
Mar7Bracing
Apr9Bracing
May12Bracing
Jun16Cool
Jul19Cool
Aug22Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct19Cool
Nov16Cool
Dec13Bracing

UV index in Ōfunato 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 Ōfunato peaks around August 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 19UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul6High
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Ōfunato 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 Ōfunato is worst in April — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1319 µg/m³Dec 179 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar18Moderate
Apr19Moderate
May17Moderate
Jun12Moderate
Jul11Good
Aug9Good
Sep10Good
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Ōfunato?

Ōfunato sits at 39.1°N, 141.7°E, 7 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Rikuzen-Takata, 8.0 km away.

Topography around Ōfunato

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Ōfunato has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 678 m around an average of 127 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,344 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,889 m.

The land around Ōfunato is covered by trees (65%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 3 km, trees (66%) and water (28%) within 16 km, and trees (56%) and water (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
678 m
16 km
1,344 m
80 km
1,889 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Rikuzen-Takata 8.0 km · Kesennuma 22 km · Kamaishi 26 km · Tōno 31 km · Ōshū 48 km · Yamada 48 km · Mizusawa 51 km · Ichinoseki 53 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 Ōfunato (39.0717°, 141.7167°, elevation 7 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).