East London weather in March

In March, East London sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 90 mm of rain across 12.1 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 40% of the time in March, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 48 min at the start of March to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is East London's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see East London's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
20°
10th coldest
Rainfall
90 mm
12.1 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
6:10 AM – 6:26 PM
Cloud cover
51%
7th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
4.77 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

East London is city in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Density
3,055/km²
people per km²
Founded
1872

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 24°C through the month.

A typical March day in East London reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs on par with February and about 1°C warmer than April.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12521
22521
32521
42521
52521
62521
72521
82521
92521
102421
112421
122421
132421
142421
152420
162420
172420
182420
192420
202420
212420
222420
232420
242420
252420
262420
272420
282420
292420
302420
312420

East London weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 3rd-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 21°8111.613.96.7
Feb25° / 21°8410.913.26.6
Mar24° / 20°9012.112.36.8
Apr23° / 19°859.611.27.0
May22° / 17°345.710.37.7
Jun21° / 15°344.59.97.7
Jul20° / 14°385.1107.6
Aug20° / 14°476.910.87.1
Sep20° / 15°577.611.86.8
Oct21° / 17°7711.312.86.3
Nov22° / 18°8411.613.76.3
Dec23° / 19°8312.514.16.5

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 40% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 41%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25446
35545
45446
55446
65446
75446
85545
95545
105545
115644
125743
135842
145941
156040
166040
176139
186238
196139
206238
216238
226337
236337
246238
256238
266238
276238
286139
296139
306040
316040

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

East London gets around 90 mm of rain over 12.1 wet days in March, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 38% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
138
238
339
439
539
640
740
840
939
1039
1139
1239
1338
1438
1538
1638
1737
1837
1937
2037
2137
2237
2337
2438
2538
2638
2739
2839
2939
3039
3138

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, March lands in the muggy band about 46% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 56% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
119214920
219214919
319215019
429225018
529225017
629234917
729234916
8210244915
9210254915
10210254814
11210264813
12310274813
13310284712
14311294711
15311304611
16311304610
1731231459
1831232449
1931233448
2031234438
2131235437
2231236437
2331236436
2431237436
2531238435
2631238435
2731238434
2831238434
2941338423
3041338423
3151338413

Wind in March

Winds average 18 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 18 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1818light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 48 min 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 66 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 5:59 AM to 6:21 AM, and sunset from 6:45 PM to 6:05 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.85:596:45
212.75:596:43
312.76:006:42
412.76:016:41
512.66:026:40
612.66:036:39
712.66:036:37
812.56:046:36
912.56:056:35
1012.56:066:33
1112.46:076:32
1212.46:076:31
1312.46:086:30
1412.36:096:28
1512.36:106:27
1612.36:106:26
1712.26:116:24
1812.26:126:23
1912.16:136:22
2012.16:136:20
2112.16:146:19
2212.06:156:18
2312.06:166:16
2412.06:166:15
2511.96:176:13
2611.96:186:12
2711.96:196:11
2811.86:196:09
2911.86:206:08
3011.86:216:07
3111.76:216:05

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.77 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.84 kWh/m² to a high of 6.28 kWh/m² in December across the year — March's 4.77 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.1Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
114.9Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.7Bright
194.7Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.6Bright
234.6Bright
244.5Bright
254.5Bright
264.5Bright
274.5Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.3Bright
314.3Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit East London?

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

6.8
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
5.9
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

March is a reasonable time to visit East London for sightseeing.

What to pack for East London in March

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

In March, East London sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 20°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near East London in March

The nearest coast averages about 25°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 13 km away) is warmest in February at about 25°C and coldest in August near 20°C.

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

18°20°22°24°26°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan24Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr24Warm
May23Refreshing
Jun22Refreshing
Jul21Refreshing
Aug20Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct21Refreshing
Nov22Refreshing
Dec23Refreshing

UV index in East London in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in East London peaks around January 16 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 16UV 13Jun 23UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar9Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug5Moderate
Sep6High
Oct10Very high
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in East London 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 East London is worst in August — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (February, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1520 µg/m³Feb 98 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb8Good
Mar9Good
Apr12Good
May15Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is East London?

East London sits at 33.0°S, 27.9°E, 48 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Gonubie, 12 km away.

Topography around East London

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around East London has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 105 m around an average of 36 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 321 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,652 m.

The land around East London is covered by artificial surfaces (36%), water (33%) and trees (22%) within 3 km, water (48%) and trees (30%) within 16 km, and water (33%), grassland (32%) and trees (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
105 m
16 km
321 m
80 km
1,652 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Gonubie 12 km · Mdantsane 16 km · Ndevana 39 km · Bhisho 48 km · Qonce 51 km · Stutterheim 67 km · Dimbaza 68 km · Butterworth 79 km

South Africa travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / M / N
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 41% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$6,598
2025
Happiness
5.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
68%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
43.7
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
22.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 602
Religion
Christian 86%or other traditional African religions 5%nothing in particular 5%Muslim 2%

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 East London (-33.0153°, 27.9116°, elevation 48 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).