Zaria weather in March

In March, Zaria sees average daytime highs of 36°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 2 mm of rain across 0.4 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 35°C in the first days to 36°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 48 min at the start of March to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Zaria's 5th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zaria's year-round climate.

Daytime high
36°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
21°
9th coldest
Rainfall
2 mm
0.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
6:41 AM – 6:36 PM
Cloud cover
45%
5th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
7.04 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.7
out of 10

Zaria is city and local government area in Kaduna, Nigeria.

Density
1,741/km²
people per km²
Founded
1536

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 35°C in the first days to 36°C by the end.

A typical March day in Zaria reaches about 36°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 14°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 33°C and 38°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 3°C warmer than February and on par with April.

15°20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13420
23520
33520
43520
53520
63520
73521
83521
93521
103521
113521
123521
133521
143621
153621
163621
173622
183622
193622
203622
213622
223622
233622
243622
253622
263622
273622
283622
293722
303723
313723

How March really feels in Zaria

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 31 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in March is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Zaria weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 2nd-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 16°0011.46.7
Feb33° / 18°10.111.64.8
Mar36° / 21°20.411.92.7
Apr36° / 24°194.112.22.1
May34° / 24°7913.412.52.9
Jun30° / 22°11016.612.64.0
Jul28° / 21°15022.812.64.1
Aug27° / 21°23325.912.43.9
Sep29° / 21°16922.912.13.9
Oct30° / 20°559.311.84.8
Nov31° / 17°00.111.55.5
Dec30° / 16°00.111.46.8

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% 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 36%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
27030
37030
47030
57030
66931
76931
86832
96832
106733
116634
126535
136436
146436
156238
166238
176139
186139
196139
206040
216040
226040
235941
246040
256040
266040
276139
286139
296139
306139
316139

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Zaria gets around 2 mm of rain over 0.4 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 2% and peaks near 4% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
11
21
31
41
51
61
71
81
91
101
111
121
131
141
151
161
171
181
191
202
212
222
232
242
252
262
273
283
293
303
314

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 85% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1962200
2952210
3933310
4933310
5933310
6914410
7914410
8914410
9895510
10895510
11875620
12866620
13866620
14856720
15847720
16847720
17847720
18847720
19837730
20837730
21837730
22837730
23837730
24837730
25827830
26827830
27807940
287971040
297871140
307571251
317371361

Wind in March

Winds average 12 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412calm
512calm
612calm
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 min at the start of March to 12 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:49 AM to 6:32 AM, and sunset from 6:35 PM to 6:37 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.86:496:35
211.86:496:36
311.86:486:36
411.86:486:36
511.86:476:36
611.86:476:36
711.86:466:36
811.86:466:36
911.96:456:36
1011.96:456:36
1111.96:446:36
1211.96:436:36
1311.96:436:36
1411.96:426:36
1511.96:426:36
1611.96:416:36
1711.96:406:36
1811.96:406:37
1912.06:396:37
2012.06:396:37
2112.06:386:37
2212.06:376:37
2312.06:376:37
2412.06:366:37
2512.06:356:37
2612.06:356:37
2712.06:346:37
2812.16:346:37
2912.16:336:37
3012.16:326:37
3112.16:326:37

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 7.04 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.42 kWh/m² to a high of 7.04 kWh/m² in March across the year — March's 7.04 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.8Intense
26.9Intense
36.9Intense
46.9Intense
56.9Intense
66.9Intense
76.9Intense
87.0Intense
97.0Intense
107.0Intense
117.0Intense
127.0Intense
137.0Intense
147.0Intense
157.0Intense
167.0Intense
177.0Intense
187.0Intense
197.0Intense
207.0Intense
217.1Intense
227.1Intense
237.1Intense
247.1Intense
257.1Intense
267.1Intense
277.1Intense
287.1Intense
297.1Intense
307.1Intense
317.1Intense
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Zaria

In seasonPeak

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

Zaria's monsoon runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

Zaria sees seasonal dust haze (February–June), heaviest in April.

Monsoon
Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is March a good time to visit Zaria?

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

2.7
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
6.3
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Zaria. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Zaria in March

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

In March, Zaria sees daytime highs around 36°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Zaria in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Zaria peaks around August 18 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 5 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highHighAug 18UV 13Dec 21UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan6High
Feb6High
Mar10Extreme
Apr9Very high
May9Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec5Moderate

Air quality in Zaria 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 Zaria is worst in February — around 127 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.3× the cleanest month (July, 30 µg/m³).

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

0306090120150JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorUnhealthyFeb 14126 µg/m³Jul 2230 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan119Unhealthy
Feb127Unhealthy
Mar118Unhealthy
Apr86Unhealthy
May52Poor
Jun41Poor
Jul30Moderate
Aug31Moderate
Sep48Poor
Oct79Unhealthy
Nov95Unhealthy
Dec114Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Zaria?

Zaria sits at 11.1°N, 7.7°E, 644 m above sea level, in Nigeria. The nearest listed city is Soba, 39 km away.

AnchauMalumfashiGwarzoSofo-Birnin-Gwari

Topography around Zaria

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Zaria has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 68 m around an average of 633 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 197 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 355 m.

The land around Zaria is covered by artificial surfaces (63%) and cropland (20%) within 3 km, cropland (78%) within 16 km, and cropland (81%) within 80 km.

3 km
68 m
16 km
197 m
80 km
355 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Soba 39 km · Dutsen Wai 60 km · Funtua 64 km · Kaduna 72 km · Anchau 75 km · Malumfashi 76 km · Gwarzo 92 km · Sofo-Birnin-Gwari 103 km

Nigeria travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 13% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,224
2025
Happiness
4.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
30%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
15.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
20.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 569
Religion
Muslim 54%other Christian 35%Roman Catholic 11%other 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 Zaria (11.1113°, 7.7227°, elevation 644 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. 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).