Port Elizabeth weather in March

In March, Port Elizabeth sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 44 mm of rain across 7.5 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in March, and the air most often feels humid.

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 Port Elizabeth's 4th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Port Elizabeth's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
19°
10th coldest
Rainfall
44 mm
7.5 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
6:19 AM – 6:35 PM
Cloud cover
42%
4th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
5.26 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.7
out of 10

Port Elizabeth is city in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Density
569/km²
people per km²
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

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month.

A typical March day in Port Elizabeth reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 19°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 26°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 1°C cooler than February and about 2°C warmer than April.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12419
22419
32419
42419
52419
62419
72419
82419
92419
102419
112419
122419
132419
142419
152319
162319
172318
182318
192318
202318
212318
222318
232318
242318
252318
262318
272318
282318
292318
302318
312318

Port Elizabeth weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 3rd-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 19°346.9147.8
Feb24° / 20°376.813.37.7
Mar23° / 19°447.512.37.7
Apr22° / 17°437.511.27.3
May21° / 15°386.310.37.3
Jun20° / 13°416.59.87.1
Jul19° / 12°386.4107.1
Aug19° / 13°527.910.76.8
Sep19° / 14°386.811.86.8
Oct20° / 15°487.812.96.8
Nov21° / 16°537.913.86.9
Dec23° / 18°426.914.27.5

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 30%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17228
27228
37228
47228
57228
67228
77129
87129
97129
107129
117030
127129
137030
147030
157030
167030
177030
187129
197030
207030
217030
227030
236931
246931
256931
266832
276832
286832
296733
306733
316733

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Port Elizabeth gets around 44 mm of rain over 7.5 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 24% and peaks near 28% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
122
222
322
422
522
622
723
823
922
1022
1122
1222
1323
1423
1523
1623
1723
1823
1923
2024
2124
2225
2325
2426
2526
2627
2727
2827
2928
3028
3128

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, March lands in the humid band about 45% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 27% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
161337422
271338412
371339402
471339392
571340381
681441361
781442351
881443341
981543331
1081544321
1181644311
1281744301
1381845291
1481845281
1581945271
1682046261
1782146241
1882247231
1982347220
2082347210
2172448200
2272548190
2372649180
2472749170
2572749170
2672849160
2782849150
2882949140
2992948140
30102948130
31112948120

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 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
118light breeze
218light breeze
318light breeze
418light breeze
518light breeze
618light breeze
718light breeze
818light breeze
918light breeze
1018light breeze
1118light breeze
1218light breeze
1318light breeze
1418light breeze
1518light breeze
1618light breeze
1718light 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 6:07 AM to 6:31 AM, and sunset from 6:55 PM to 6:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.86:076:55
212.86:086:53
312.76:096:52
412.76:106:51
512.76:106:50
612.66:116:48
712.66:126:47
812.56:136:46
912.56:146:44
1012.56:156:43
1112.46:156:42
1212.46:166:40
1312.46:176:39
1412.36:186:38
1512.36:196:36
1612.36:196:35
1712.26:206:34
1812.26:216:32
1912.26:226:31
2012.16:226:30
2112.16:236:28
2212.06:246:27
2312.06:256:25
2412.06:266:24
2511.96:266:23
2611.96:276:21
2711.96:286:20
2811.86:296:18
2911.86:296:17
3011.86:306:16
3111.76:316:14

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 5.26 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.66 kWh/m² to a high of 7.23 kWh/m² in December across the year — March's 5.26 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.7Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.4Bright
145.4Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.7Bright
294.7Bright
304.6Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Port Elizabeth?

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

7.7
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
6.1
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Port Elizabeth in March

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

In March, Port Elizabeth sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 19°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection. About 8 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Port Elizabeth in March

The nearest coast averages about 20°C in March — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in January at about 21°C and coldest in August near 17°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Dec 26 to Mar 29 — about 3.1 months when the water holds above 20°C.

16°18°20°22°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan21Refreshing
Feb21Refreshing
Mar20Refreshing
Apr20Cool
May19Cool
Jun18Cool
Jul17Cool
Aug17Cool
Sep17Cool
Oct18Cool
Nov19Cool
Dec20Cool

UV index in Port Elizabeth 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 Port Elizabeth peaks around January 15 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 — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 15UV 13Jun 23UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar9Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep6High
Oct10Very high
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Port Elizabeth 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 Port Elizabeth is worst in June — around 22 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (January, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 1621 µg/m³Jan 249 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr14Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun22Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug19Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct13Moderate
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Port Elizabeth?

Port Elizabeth sits at 34.0°S, 25.6°E, 61 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Kariega, 30 km away.

Fort Beaufort

Topography around Port Elizabeth

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Port Elizabeth has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 105 m around an average of 38 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 285 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,357 m.

The land around Port Elizabeth is covered by artificial surfaces (46%) and water (26%) within 3 km, water (51%) within 16 km, and water (41%), grassland (26%) and trees (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
105 m
16 km
285 m
80 km
1,357 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
March weather nearby: Kariega 30 km · Jeffreys Bay 65 km · Humansdorp 78 km · Kruisfontein 82 km · Grahamstown 112 km · Port Alfred 124 km · Somerset East 138 km · Fort Beaufort 162 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 Port Elizabeth (-33.9611°, 25.6149°, elevation 61 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).