Grahamstown weather in March

In March, Grahamstown sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 59 mm of rain across 8.7 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 27°C in the first days to 26°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in March, and the air most often feels comfortable.

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 Grahamstown's 7th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Grahamstown's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
15°
10th coldest
Rainfall
59 mm
8.7 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
6:16 AM – 6:31 PM
Cloud cover
49%
7th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
4.87 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.9
out of 10

Grahamstown is city in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Founded
1820

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

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 27°C in the first days to 26°C by the end.

A typical March day in Grahamstown reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 1°C cooler than February and about 2°C warmer than April.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12716
22716
32716
42716
52716
62716
72716
82716
92716
102716
112716
122716
132716
142716
152716
162716
172715
182615
192615
202615
212615
222615
232615
242615
252615
262615
272615
282615
292615
302615
312615

Grahamstown 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
Jan27° / 16°639.2146.6
Feb28° / 17°649.913.26.4
Mar27° / 15°598.712.36.9
Apr24° / 13°498.111.27.3
May23° / 11°22510.37.9
Jun21° / 2249.87.7
Jul21° / 223.6107.8
Aug21° / 355.910.87.5
Sep22° / 10°406.211.87.5
Oct23° / 12°56912.87.1
Nov24° / 13°609.213.77.0
Dec26° / 15°629.814.26.7

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 42%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15743
25743
35743
45743
55743
65743
75743
85743
95743
105743
115743
125743
135743
145743
155842
165842
175842
185941
195941
205941
215941
225941
235941
245941
255941
265941
275941
285842
295842
305842
315842

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Grahamstown gets around 59 mm of rain over 8.7 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 29% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
129
229
328
428
528
628
728
828
928
1028
1128
1228
1328
1428
1528
1628
1728
1828
1928
2028
2128
2228
2329
2429
2529
2630
2730
2830
2931
3031
3131

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, March lands in the comfortable band about 36% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 5% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
116264512
217274511
317274511
417284510
518284410
61929449
71929439
82030428
92031418
102132407
112133397
122234387
132334366
142435356
152436346
162536335
172637325
182738314
192738304
202839293
212840293
222941283
232941272
243042272
253042262
263142261
273142251
283242241
293342241
303442231
313642221

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
112calm
212calm
312calm
412calm
512calm
612calm
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

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 6:04 AM to 6:27 AM, and sunset from 6:50 PM to 6:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.86:046:50
212.76:056:49
312.76:066:48
412.76:066:47
512.66:076:45
612.66:086:44
712.66:096:43
812.56:106:42
912.56:106:40
1012.56:116:39
1112.46:126:38
1212.46:136:37
1312.46:146:35
1412.36:146:34
1512.36:156:33
1612.36:166:31
1712.26:176:30
1812.26:176:28
1912.26:186:27
2012.16:196:26
2112.16:206:24
2212.06:206:23
2312.06:216:22
2412.06:226:20
2511.96:236:19
2611.96:236:18
2711.96:246:16
2811.86:256:15
2911.86:266:13
3011.86:266:12
3111.76:276:11

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.87 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.81 kWh/m² to a high of 6.46 kWh/m² in December across the year — March's 4.87 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
135.0Bright
144.9Bright
154.9Bright
164.9Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.8Bright
204.8Bright
214.7Bright
224.7Bright
234.7Bright
244.6Bright
254.6Bright
264.5Bright
274.5Bright
284.5Bright
294.4Bright
304.4Bright
314.4Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Grahamstown?

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

6.9
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
6.8
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

March is a reasonable time to visit Grahamstown for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Grahamstown in March

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

In March, Grahamstown sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 15°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 9 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Grahamstown in March

The nearest coast averages about 22°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 48 km away) is warmest in February at about 23°C and coldest in September near 19°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Nov 4 to Jun 16 — about 7.4 months when the water holds above 20°C.

18°20°22°24°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swimcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan22Refreshing
Feb23Refreshing
Mar22Refreshing
Apr22Refreshing
May21Refreshing
Jun20Refreshing
Jul19Cool
Aug19Cool
Sep19Cool
Oct19Cool
Nov21Refreshing
Dec21Refreshing

UV index in Grahamstown 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 Grahamstown peaks around January 14 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighExtremeJan 14UV 13Jun 22UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar10Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug5Moderate
Sep7High
Oct10Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Grahamstown 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 Grahamstown is worst in August — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (February, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1717 µg/m³Dec 236 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb6Good
Mar7Good
Apr10Good
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Grahamstown?

Grahamstown sits at 33.3°S, 26.5°E, 551 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Port Alfred, 45 km away.

Topography around Grahamstown

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Grahamstown has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 240 m around an average of 595 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 697 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,453 m.

The land around Grahamstown is covered by grassland (54%) and trees (21%) within 3 km, grassland (50%) and trees (34%) within 16 km, and grassland (44%), trees (21%) and water (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
240 m
16 km
697 m
80 km
1,453 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Port Alfred 45 km · Fort Beaufort 60 km · Alice 64 km · Dimbaza 82 km · Qonce 93 km · Bhisho 99 km · Ndevana 101 km · Somerset East 109 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 Grahamstown (-33.3042°, 26.5328°, elevation 551 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).