Freetown weather in March

In March, Freetown sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 9 mm of rain across 2.4 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 11th-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 53% of the time in March, and the air most often feels oppressive.

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 Freetown's 4th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Freetown's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
8th warmest
Overnight low
26°
8th coldest
Rainfall
9 mm
2.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
7:04 AM – 7:01 PM
Cloud cover
43%
4th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
6.28 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.0
out of 10

Freetown is capital of Sierra Leone.

Founded
1792

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 27°C through the month.

A typical March day in Freetown reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs on par with February and on par with April.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12726
22726
32726
42726
52726
62726
72726
82726
92726
102726
112726
122726
132726
142726
152726
162726
172726
182726
192726
202726
212726
222726
232726
242726
252726
262726
272726
282726
292726
302726
312726

Freetown weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 8th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 26°102.311.68.1
Feb27° / 26°61.411.78.2
Mar27° / 26°92.411.98.0
Apr27° / 26°215.212.27.2
May28° / 26°15921.412.44.6
Jun27° / 25°39729.112.53.5
Jul26° / 25°68330.212.43.5
Aug26° / 25°75129.912.33.5
Sep26° / 25°48028.6123.6
Oct27° / 25°23228.111.83.8
Nov28° / 26°9820.611.64.9
Dec28° / 26°277.411.57.0

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% 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 30%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27723
37723
47723
57624
67525
77525
87525
97426
107327
117327
127228
137228
147030
157030
167030
176832
186832
196832
206733
216733
226733
236733
246634
256634
266634
276634
286535
296535
306535
316535

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Freetown gets around 9 mm of rain over 2.4 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 8% and peaks near 9% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
18
28
38
48
59
69
79
89
99
108
118
128
138
148
158
167
177
187
197
207
217
227
237
247
257
267
277
287
298
308
318

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 76% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
137819
237720
337720
437621
537621
637621
737621
847521
947521
1047521
1147521
1247521
1337621
1437720
1537720
1637720
1737720
1837720
1937720
2037720
2137720
2237720
2337621
2437621
2537522
2637522
2737423
2837423
2937423
3037324
3137225

Wind in March

Winds average 15 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 15 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
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

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 7:11 AM to 6:56 AM, and sunset from 7:01 PM to 7:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.87:117:01
211.87:117:01
311.87:117:01
411.87:107:01
511.97:107:01
611.97:097:01
711.97:097:01
811.97:087:01
911.97:087:01
1011.97:077:01
1111.97:077:01
1211.97:067:01
1311.97:067:01
1411.97:057:01
1511.97:057:01
1611.97:047:01
1711.97:047:01
1812.07:037:01
1912.07:037:01
2012.07:027:01
2112.07:027:01
2212.07:017:00
2312.07:017:00
2412.07:007:00
2512.06:597:00
2612.06:597:00
2712.06:587:00
2812.06:587:00
2912.06:577:00
3012.16:577:00
3112.16:567:00

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 6.28 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.94 kWh/m² to a high of 6.28 kWh/m² in March across the year — March's 6.28 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.2Intense
26.2Intense
36.2Intense
46.2Intense
56.2Intense
66.2Intense
76.2Intense
86.2Intense
96.3Intense
106.3Intense
116.3Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.3Intense
156.3Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.3Intense
236.3Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.3Intense
286.3Intense
296.3Intense
306.3Intense
316.3Intense
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Freetown

In seasonPeak

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

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

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

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

Is March a good time to visit Freetown?

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

8.0
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
8.0
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

March is one of the better times to visit Freetown for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Freetown in March

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

In March, Freetown sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 26°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes.

sun protectionlight clothes

Sea temperature near Freetown in March

The nearest coast averages about 27°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 20 km away) is warmest in November at about 29°C and coldest in August near 27°C.

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

26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr28Warm
May28Tropical
Jun28Tropical
Jul27Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct28Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Freetown 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 Freetown peaks around August 20 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highAug 20UV 13Dec 15UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Freetown 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 Freetown is worst in February — around 78 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 7.8× the cleanest month (September, 10 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModerateGoodModeratePoorFeb 1477 µg/m³Sep 1010 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan69Unhealthy
Feb78Unhealthy
Mar64Unhealthy
Apr43Poor
May31Moderate
Jun20Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep10Good
Oct16Moderate
Nov26Moderate
Dec54Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Freetown?

Freetown sits at 8.5°N, 13.2°W, 38 m above sea level, in Sierra Leone. The nearest listed city is Goderich, 9.0 km away.

WaterlooPort LokoLunsarForécariahMile 91

Topography around Freetown

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Freetown has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 368 m around an average of 65 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 778 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 885 m.

The land around Freetown is covered by artificial surfaces (48%) and water (41%) within 3 km, water (63%) within 16 km, and water (46%) and trees (34%) within 80 km.

3 km
368 m
16 km
778 m
80 km
885 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
March weather nearby: Goderich 9.0 km · Waterloo 24 km · Port Loko 58 km · Lunsar 80 km · Forécariah 106 km · Mile 91 112 km · Conakry 127 km · Camayenne 127 km

Sierra Leone travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 24% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$846
2025
Happiness
3.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
11%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
2.2
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
33
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
Religion
Muslim 77%Christian 23%

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 Freetown (8.4871°, -13.2356°, elevation 38 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. 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).