Manakara weather in March

In March, Manakara sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 278 mm of rain across 24.6 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 3rd-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 32% of the time in March, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of March to 11 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Manakara's 9th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Manakara's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
25°
10th coldest
Rainfall
278 mm
24.6 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
5:53 AM – 6:02 PM
Cloud cover
57%
9th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.12 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.4
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 Manakara reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs on par with February and about 1°C warmer than April.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12825
22825
32825
42825
52825
62825
72825
82725
92725
102725
112725
122725
132725
142725
152725
162725
172725
182725
192725
202724
212724
222724
232724
242724
252724
262724
272724
282724
292724
302724
312724

Manakara weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 3rd-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 25°3202413.24.4
Feb28° / 25°28523.112.84.2
Mar27° / 25°27824.612.24.4
Apr26° / 24°20321.511.55.0
May25° / 22°17221.7115.4
Jun23° / 20°11618.310.75.9
Jul23° / 20°12118.410.85.8
Aug23° / 20°7514.611.26.5
Sep24° / 20°5510.911.97.2
Oct25° / 22°7911.112.57.0
Nov26° / 23°9913.613.16.2
Dec27° / 24°16619.113.35.2

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 23% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 44%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24852
34852
44852
54852
65050
75149
85248
95347
105347
115446
125545
135644
145644
155743
165842
175842
185842
195941
205941
215941
226040
236040
246040
255941
265941
275941
286040
296139
306139
316139

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Manakara gets around 278 mm of rain over 24.6 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 79% and peaks near 84% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
184
284
384
483
583
683
783
882
982
1082
1181
1281
1381
1480
1580
1680
1779
1879
1979
2078
2178
2277
2377
2477
2576
2676
2776
2875
2974
3074
3173

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, March lands in the oppressive band about 79% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1057124
2057223
3057223
4057322
5057421
6067420
7167419
8167518
9167617
10167815
11167914
12177913
13178012
14178111
15178210
1617839
1717839
1817848
1917848
2018847
2118847
2218847
2319846
2419846
25110836
26111826
27112825
28113815
29113815
30114814
31115804

Wind in March

Winds average 14 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of March to 11 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 42 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 5:47 AM to 5:58 AM, and sunset from 6:16 PM to 5:48 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:476:16
212.55:476:15
312.45:486:14
412.45:486:13
512.45:496:12
612.45:496:11
712.45:496:11
812.35:506:10
912.35:506:09
1012.35:516:08
1112.35:516:07
1212.25:516:06
1312.25:526:05
1412.25:526:04
1512.25:526:03
1612.25:536:02
1712.15:536:01
1812.15:546:00
1912.15:546:00
2012.15:545:59
2112.05:555:58
2212.05:555:57
2312.05:555:56
2412.05:565:55
2512.05:565:54
2611.95:565:53
2711.95:575:52
2811.95:575:51
2911.95:575:50
3011.95:585:49
3111.85:585:48

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 5.12 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.26 kWh/m² to a high of 6.47 kWh/m² in December across the year — March's 5.12 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
255.0Bright
264.9Bright
274.9Bright
284.9Bright
294.9Bright
304.8Bright
314.8Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Manakara

In seasonPeak

In March, Manakara sits inside its cyclone and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Manakara sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Manakara's rainy season runs December–May, when most of the year's rain falls.

Cyclone
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is March a good time to visit Manakara?

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

4.4
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
4.6
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

March is a reasonable time to visit Manakara for sightseeing.

What to pack for Manakara in March

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

In March, Manakara sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 25 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Manakara in March

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in March — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in February at about 28°C and coldest in August near 24°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

22°24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb28Tropical
Mar28Tropical
Apr28Warm
May27Warm
Jun25Warm
Jul24Warm
Aug24Refreshing
Sep24Refreshing
Oct24Warm
Nov25Warm
Dec27Warm

UV index in Manakara in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Manakara peaks around February 12 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeFeb 12UV 16Jun 18UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr10Very high
May7High
Jun6High
Jul6High
Aug8Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Manakara?

Manakara sits at 22.1°S, 48.0°E, 7 m above sea level, in Madagascar. The nearest listed city is Amboanjo, 23 km away.

IfanadianaVondrozoMananjaryAmbalavao

Topography around Manakara

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Manakara has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 74 m around an average of 7 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 86 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,337 m.

The land around Manakara is covered by water (34%) and trees (30%) within 3 km, water (47%) and trees (27%) within 16 km, and water (33%), grassland (31%) and trees (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
74 m
16 km
86 m
80 km
1,337 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
March weather nearby: Amboanjo 23 km · Vohipeno 29 km · Ikongo 66 km · Farafangana 77 km · Ifanadiana 102 km · Vondrozo 105 km · Mananjary 108 km · Ambalavao 116 km

Madagascar travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / E
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 31% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$599
2025
Happiness
4.2 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
22%
of population, 2024
Road deaths
29.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 457
Religion
Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar/Malagasy Lutheran Church/Anglican Church 34%Roman Catholic 32%none 22%other Christian 8%

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 Manakara (-22.1486°, 48.0106°, 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).