Richards Bay weather in March

In March, Richards Bay sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 97 mm of rain across 12.3 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time in March, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 36 min at the start of March to 11 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Richards Bay's 7th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Richards Bay's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
22°
10th coldest
Rainfall
97 mm
12.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
5:55 AM – 6:08 PM
Cloud cover
46%
7th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.1 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.9
out of 10

Richards Bay is town.

Air quality
Moderate
PM2.5 13 µg/m³ · 2012
Founded
1879

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 28°C through the month.

A typical March day in Richards Bay reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs on par with February and about 2°C warmer than April.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12923
22923
32923
42923
52923
62923
72823
82823
92822
102822
112822
122822
132822
142822
152822
162822
172822
182822
192822
202822
212822
222822
232822
242822
252822
262822
272822
282822
292822
302822
312822

Richards Bay weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 3rd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 23°10813.513.65.3
Feb29° / 23°9511.9135.3
Mar28° / 22°9712.312.25.9
Apr27° / 20°7910.411.36.8
May25° / 18°567.610.67.8
Jun24° / 16°396.610.28.2
Jul23° / 15°476.910.48.0
Aug24° / 16°397118.0
Sep25° / 18°548.211.87.4
Oct25° / 19°8012.212.76.5
Nov26° / 20°9313.213.46.0
Dec28° / 22°8611.713.85.9

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% 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 34%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16337
26436
36535
46535
56634
66634
76634
86733
96733
106733
116733
126832
136832
146832
156832
166733
176733
186634
196634
206535
216535
226535
236535
246535
256535
266436
276436
286436
296436
306436
316337

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Richards Bay gets around 97 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 40% and peaks near 41% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
139
239
339
439
539
639
740
840
940
1040
1140
1240
1340
1440
1541
1641
1741
1841
1941
2041
2141
2240
2340
2439
2539
2639
2739
2839
2939
3038
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 49% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 82% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
121143430
221143431
321143431
431243421
531243421
631243411
731343411
831343401
931343391
1031444391
1131444381
1231445371
1331546360
1431546350
1531547340
1631548330
1731549320
1821651310
1921652300
2021653290
2121654280
2221655270
2321656260
2421657250
2521658240
2621758230
2721759220
2831858210
2931958200
3032059180
3142158170

Wind in March

Winds average 16 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 16 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
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1016light breeze
1116light breeze
1216light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze
3116light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 36 min at the start of March to 11 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 48 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 5:46 AM to 6:04 AM, and sunset from 6:25 PM to 5:50 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.65:466:25
212.65:466:23
312.65:476:22
412.65:486:21
512.55:486:20
612.55:496:19
712.55:506:18
812.45:506:17
912.45:516:16
1012.45:516:15
1112.45:526:14
1212.35:536:13
1312.35:536:11
1412.35:546:10
1512.25:546:09
1612.25:556:08
1712.25:566:07
1812.25:566:06
1912.15:576:04
2012.15:576:03
2112.15:586:02
2212.05:596:01
2312.05:596:00
2412.06:005:58
2511.96:005:57
2611.96:015:56
2711.96:015:55
2811.96:025:54
2911.86:035:52
3011.86:035:51
3111.86:045:50

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 5.1 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.16 kWh/m² to a high of 6.12 kWh/m² in January across the year — March's 5.1 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.4Bright
75.4Bright
85.4Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.0Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
214.9Bright
224.9Bright
234.8Bright
244.8Bright
254.8Bright
264.8Bright
274.7Bright
284.7Bright
294.7Bright
304.6Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Richards Bay

In seasonPeak

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

Richards Bay sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

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

Is March a good time to visit Richards Bay?

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

5.9
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
6.7
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Richards Bay in March

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

In March, Richards Bay sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Richards Bay in March

The nearest coast averages about 26°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 27°C and coldest in August near 22°C.

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

20°22°24°26°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr25Warm
May24Warm
Jun23Refreshing
Jul22Refreshing
Aug22Refreshing
Sep22Refreshing
Oct22Refreshing
Nov24Refreshing
Dec25Warm

UV index in Richards Bay in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Richards Bay peaks around February 10 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeHighModerateHighVery highVery highExtremeFeb 10UV 12Jun 21UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr6High
May5Moderate
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct10Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Richards Bay 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 Richards Bay is worst in July — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.4× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Richards Bay's WHO annual average of 13 µg/m³.

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1420 µg/m³Jan 186 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar9Good
Apr15Moderate
May17Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Richards Bay?

Richards Bay sits at 28.8°S, 32.0°E, 9 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Empangeni, 14 km away.

Topography around Richards Bay

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Richards Bay has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 48 m around an average of 12 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 187 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,252 m.

The land around Richards Bay is covered by trees (25%) and water (23%) within 3 km, trees (37%) and water (33%) within 16 km, and water (34%), trees (29%) and grassland (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
48 m
16 km
187 m
80 km
1,252 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
March weather nearby: Empangeni 14 km · eSikhaleni 17 km · Mtubatuba 43 km · Eshowe 56 km · Mandeni 73 km · Ulundi 79 km · KwaDukuza 95 km · Shakaskraal 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 Richards Bay (-28.783°, 32.0377°, elevation 9 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).