Queenstown weather in March

In March, Queenstown sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 78 mm of rain across 12.3 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 28°C in the first days to 26°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

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

Daytime high
27°
4th warmest
Overnight low
14°
10th coldest
Rainfall
78 mm
12.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
6:15 AM – 6:29 PM
Cloud cover
48%
7th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
5.2 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.4
out of 10

Queenstown is city in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

Density
1,663/km²
people per km²
Founded
1853

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 28°C in the first days to 26°C by the end.

A typical March day in Queenstown reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 1°C cooler than February and about 3°C warmer than April.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12815
22815
32815
42815
52715
62715
72714
82714
92714
102714
112714
122714
132714
142714
152714
162714
172714
182714
192614
202614
212614
222613
232613
242613
252613
262613
272613
282613
292613
302613
312513

Queenstown weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 15°10013.813.85.4
Feb28° / 15°9813.413.25.6
Mar27° / 14°7812.312.26.4
Apr24° / 11°477.711.27.5
May22° / 143.410.48.0
Jun19° / 122.4107.7
Jul19° / 132.310.17.8
Aug21° / 213.810.87.9
Sep24° / 335.411.88.0
Oct25° / 10°5510.112.87.0
Nov26° / 12°7211.813.66.4
Dec28° / 14°9113.8145.8

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 37%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16337
26436
36436
46436
56238
66238
76238
86238
96238
106238
116238
126238
136337
146337
156337
166337
176337
186436
196436
206436
216436
226436
236535
246535
256535
266535
276436
286436
296436
306337
316436

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Queenstown gets around 78 mm of rain over 12.3 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 39% and peaks near 45% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
145
245
344
444
544
643
743
843
942
1042
1142
1241
1341
1441
1540
1640
1739
1839
1939
2038
2138
2237
2337
2436
2536
2635
2735
2834
2934
3033
3133

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 51% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
1324325
2334323
3344322
4354421
5364420
6374518
7384517
8394516
9404515
10414514
11434413
12444412
13454312
14474211
15484210
1650419
1752408
1853398
1955387
2057376
2158366
2259365
2360355
2462344
2563334
2665323
2766313
2867303
2969292
3071272
3172262

Wind in March

Winds average 9 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 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 60 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:04 AM to 6:25 AM, and sunset from 6:48 PM to 6:10 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.76:046:48
212.76:046:47
312.76:056:45
412.66:066:44
512.66:076:43
612.66:086:42
712.56:086:41
812.56:096:39
912.56:106:38
1012.46:116:37
1112.46:116:36
1212.46:126:35
1312.36:136:33
1412.36:136:32
1512.36:146:31
1612.26:156:29
1712.26:166:28
1812.26:166:27
1912.16:176:26
2012.16:186:24
2112.16:186:23
2212.06:196:22
2312.06:206:20
2412.06:206:19
2511.96:216:18
2611.96:226:16
2711.96:236:15
2811.86:236:14
2911.86:246:12
3011.86:256:11
3111.76:256:10

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 5.2 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.12 kWh/m² to a high of 6.88 kWh/m² in December across the year — March's 5.2 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.7Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
254.9Bright
264.9Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.8Bright
304.8Bright
314.7Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Queenstown

In seasonPeak

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

Queenstown's rainy season runs October–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is March a good time to visit Queenstown?

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

6.4
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
6.4
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Queenstown in March

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

In March, Queenstown sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 14°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Queenstown 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 Queenstown peaks around January 14 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighExtremeJan 14UV 14Jun 23UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar10Extreme
Apr7High
May5Moderate
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep7High
Oct11Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Queenstown 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 Queenstown is worst in August — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.9× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1916 µg/m³Dec 236 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb6Good
Mar8Good
Apr10Good
May12Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Queenstown?

Queenstown sits at 31.9°S, 26.9°E, 1,081 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Queensdale, 10 km away.

Topography around Queenstown

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Queenstown has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 407 m around an average of 1,113 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,112 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,877 m.

The land around Queenstown is covered by grassland (36%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 3 km, grassland (57%) and shrubs (25%) within 16 km, and grassland (76%) within 80 km.

3 km
407 m
16 km
1,112 m
80 km
1,877 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
March weather nearby: Queensdale 10 km · Whittlesea 31 km · Lady Frere 40 km · Cala 88 km · Stutterheim 91 km · Alice 99 km · Fort Beaufort 100 km · Dimbaza 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 Queenstown (-31.8976°, 26.8753°, elevation 1,081 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).