Napier weather in March

In March, Napier sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 65 mm of rain across 8.2 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 20°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 hours at the start of March to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Napier's 8th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Napier's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
15°
10th coldest
Rainfall
65 mm
8.2 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
7:12 AM – 7:32 PM
Cloud cover
54%
8th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
4.44 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.7
out of 10

Napier is city in the North Island of New Zealand.

Air quality
Excellent
PM10 13.7 µg/m³ · 2012
Density
626/km²
people per km²
Founded
1851

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

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 20°C through the month.

A typical March day in Napier reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 17°C and 23°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 1°C cooler than February and about 2°C warmer than April.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12116
22116
32116
42116
52116
62116
72015
82015
92015
102015
112015
122015
132015
142015
152015
162015
172015
182015
192015
202015
212015
222015
232015
242015
252015
262015
272015
282015
292015
302014
311914

Napier weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 3rd-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan22° / 16°637.714.57.0
Feb22° / 17°56813.66.8
Mar20° / 15°658.212.36.7
Apr18° / 13°808.8116.1
May16° / 11°659.19.95.2
Jun14° / 7910.19.34.1
Jul13° / 9211.19.53.5
Aug13° / 7110.610.43.8
Sep15° / 629.411.74.6
Oct16° / 11°639.3135.4
Nov18° / 13°588.814.26.1
Dec20° / 15°589.314.76.4

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 46%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25347
35248
45248
55248
65149
75149
85149
95050
105149
115149
125248
135248
145347
155446
165545
175545
185644
195743
205743
215842
225743
235842
245842
255842
265743
275743
285743
295644
305545
315446

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Napier gets around 65 mm of rain over 8.2 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 27% and peaks near 28% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
127
227
327
428
528
628
728
828
928
1028
1128
1228
1328
1428
1528
1627
1727
1827
1926
2026
2125
2225
2325
2425
2525
2625
2725
2826
2926
3027
3127

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 47% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
13838231
23938221
34138211
44237201
54337191
64437181
74537181
84637171
94736161
104736161
114836151
124936141
134937141
144937130
154938130
164938130
174938120
184939120
194839120
204840120
214840120
224740120
234740130
244741130
254741130
264740130
274740130
284839130
294939130
305037130
315236120

Wind in March

Winds average 15 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 hours at the start of March to 11 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 78 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:56 AM to 7:28 AM, and sunset from 7:55 PM to 7:07 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.06:567:55
212.96:577:53
312.96:597:52
412.87:007:50
512.87:017:49
612.87:027:47
712.77:037:46
812.77:047:44
912.67:057:43
1012.67:067:41
1112.57:077:40
1212.57:087:38
1312.57:097:36
1412.47:107:35
1512.47:117:33
1612.37:127:32
1712.37:137:30
1812.27:147:28
1912.27:157:27
2012.17:167:25
2112.17:187:23
2212.17:197:22
2312.07:207:20
2412.07:217:19
2511.97:227:17
2611.97:237:15
2711.87:247:14
2811.87:257:12
2911.77:267:10
3011.77:277:09
3111.77:287:07

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.44 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.8 kWh/m² to a high of 6.98 kWh/m² in January across the year — March's 4.44 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
64.8Bright
74.8Bright
84.7Bright
94.7Bright
104.7Bright
114.6Bright
124.6Bright
134.6Bright
144.5Bright
154.5Bright
164.5Bright
174.4Bright
184.4Bright
194.4Bright
204.3Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.2Bright
244.2Bright
254.1Bright
264.1Bright
274.0Bright
284.0Moderate
293.9Moderate
303.9Moderate
313.8Moderate
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Napier?

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

6.7
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
3.5
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

March is a reasonable time to visit Napier for sightseeing.

What to pack for Napier in March

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

In March, Napier sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 15°C. Worth packing: rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

rain gear

Sea temperature near Napier in March

The nearest coast averages about 19°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 22 km away) is warmest in February at about 20°C and coldest in August near 13°C.

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

10°15°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan19Cool
Feb20Cool
Mar19Cool
Apr18Cool
May16Cool
Jun14Bracing
Jul13Bracing
Aug13Bracing
Sep13Bracing
Oct14Bracing
Nov16Cool
Dec17Cool

UV index in Napier in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Napier peaks around January 13 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeHighModerateLowModerateExtremeJan 13UV 12Jun 17UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar7High
Apr5Moderate
May2Moderate
Jun2Low
Jul2Moderate
Aug3Moderate
Sep4Moderate
Oct7High
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Napier?

Napier sits at 39.5°S, 176.9°E, 6 m above sea level, in New Zealand. The nearest listed city is Hastings, 17 km away.

TaupoGisbornePalmerston NorthRotoruaWhanganuiWhakataneLevin

Topography around Napier

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Napier has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 97 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 366 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,719 m.

The land around Napier is covered by water (52%) and artificial surfaces (31%) within 3 km, water (51%) and grassland (30%) within 16 km, and grassland (37%), water (32%) and trees (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
97 m
16 km
366 m
80 km
1,719 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
March weather nearby: Hastings 17 km · Taupo 115 km · Gisborne 133 km · Palmerston North 147 km · Rotorua 161 km · Whanganui 167 km · Whakatane 171 km · Levin 188 km

New Zealand travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type I
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 86% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$49,591
2025
Happiness
7.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.5
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
9.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
no religion 49%Christian 37%objected to answering 7%Hindu 3%

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 Napier (-39.4926°, 176.9123°, elevation 6 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).