Otaru weather in March

In March, Otaru sees average daytime highs of 2°C and overnight lows near -3°C, with 76 mm of precipitation across 15 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about -0°C in the first days to 4°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 54 min at the start of March to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Otaru's 6th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Otaru's year-round climate.

Daytime high
9th warmest
Overnight low
-3°
4th coldest
Precipitation
76 mm
15 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
5:57 AM – 5:35 PM
Cloud cover
66%
6th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
4.24 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about -0°C in the first days to 4°C by the end.

A typical March day in Otaru reaches about 2°C in the afternoon and slips back to -3°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -2°C and 6°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 4°C warmer than February and about 5°C cooler than April.

-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
10-5
20-5
30-5
40-5
50-4
60-4
70-4
80-4
90-4
101-4
111-4
121-4
131-3
141-3
151-3
162-3
172-3
182-3
192-3
202-2
212-2
223-2
233-2
243-2
253-2
263-2
273-1
284-1
294-1
304-1
314-1

How March really feels in Otaru

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
6 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Otaru weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-3° / -6°9820.824.29.20.0
Feb-2° / -6°791820.210.20.0
Mar / -3°761515.411.60.0
Apr / 6611.2513.10.7
May12° / 8411.70.414.43.0
Jun17° / 12°7610.6015.15.1
Jul21° / 17°12712.8014.95.9
Aug23° / 19°16314.2013.86.0
Sep20° / 16°14913.9012.35.6
Oct14° / 11714.90.610.83.5
Nov / 12918.611.29.50.7
Dec-0° / -3°12621.922.58.90.0

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 62%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23268
33268
43268
53268
63268
73268
83268
93367
103466
113466
123565
133565
143664
153763
163763
173961
183961
194060
204159
214258
224456
234456
244456
254555
264654
274654
284753
294753
304753
314852

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Otaru gets around 76 mm of rain and snow over 15 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 48% and peaks near 53% on the wettest days, and about 15 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
15361
25360
35259
45258
55158
65157
75157
85156
95055
105054
114953
124953
134952
144951
154850
164850
174849
184848
194747
204746
214745
224644
234643
244643
254642
264541
274539
284538
294437
304335
314334

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 14 km/h on the calmest days to 16 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1016light breeze
1116light breeze
1216light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 54 min at the start of March to 12 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 90 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:22 AM to 5:29 AM, and sunset from 5:16 PM to 5:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.96:225:16
210.96:215:17
311.06:195:19
411.06:185:20
511.16:165:21
611.16:145:22
711.26:125:24
811.26:115:25
911.36:095:26
1011.36:075:27
1111.46:065:29
1211.46:045:30
1311.56:025:31
1411.56:005:32
1511.65:585:33
1611.65:575:35
1711.75:555:36
1811.75:535:37
1911.85:515:38
2011.85:495:40
2111.95:485:41
2211.95:465:42
2312.05:445:43
2412.05:425:44
2512.15:405:46
2612.15:385:47
2712.25:375:48
2812.25:355:49
2912.35:335:50
3012.35:315:51
3112.45:295:53

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.24 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.4 kWh/m² to a high of 5.59 kWh/m² in May across the year — March's 4.24 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.4Moderate
23.5Moderate
33.5Moderate
43.6Moderate
53.6Moderate
63.7Moderate
73.8Moderate
83.8Moderate
93.9Moderate
103.9Moderate
114.0Moderate
124.0Bright
134.1Bright
144.1Bright
154.2Bright
164.2Bright
174.3Bright
184.3Bright
194.4Bright
204.5Bright
214.5Bright
224.6Bright
234.6Bright
244.7Bright
254.7Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.9Bright
304.9Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Otaru

In seasonPeak

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

Otaru 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 Otaru?

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

0.0
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 Otaru.

What to pack for Otaru in March

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

In March, Otaru sees daytime highs around 2°C and nights near -3°C. Pack a warm layer, a heavy coat and rain gear. About 15 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Otaru in March

The nearest coast averages about 6°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 23 km away) is warmest in August at about 22°C and coldest in February near 6°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 31 to Sep 22 — about 1.8 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan7Bracing
Feb6Bracing
Mar6Bracing
Apr7Bracing
May10Bracing
Jun14Bracing
Jul19Cool
Aug22Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct17Cool
Nov13Bracing
Dec9Bracing

UV index in Otaru in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Otaru peaks around August 18 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 18UV 8Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar3Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun7High
Jul5Moderate
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Otaru 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 Otaru is worst in April — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodApr 1121 µg/m³Dec 169 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar21Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul12Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep10Good
Oct12Good
Nov11Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Otaru?

Otaru sits at 43.2°N, 141.0°E, 30 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Yoichi, 19 km away.

Topography around Otaru

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Otaru has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 508 m around an average of 83 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,289 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,867 m.

The land around Otaru is covered by trees (44%), artificial surfaces (32%) and water (23%) within 3 km, water (49%) and trees (46%) within 16 km, and trees (48%) and water (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
508 m
16 km
1,289 m
80 km
1,867 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
March weather nearby: Yoichi 19 km · Ishikari 29 km · Sapporo 31 km · Kutchan 38 km · Tōbetsu 42 km · Ebetsu 45 km · Niseko 50 km · Kitahiroshima 52 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 Otaru (43.1894°, 141.0022°, elevation 30 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).