Musselburgh weather in March

In March, Musselburgh sees average daytime highs of 8°C and overnight lows near 4°C, with 61 mm of precipitation across 13 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 7°C in the first days to 9°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 12 min at the start of March to 12 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Musselburgh's 10th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Musselburgh's year-round climate.

Daytime high
9th warmest
Overnight low
4th coldest
Precipitation
61 mm
13 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:39 AM – 6:05 PM
Cloud cover
74%
10th clearest
Wind
20 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.31 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.1
out of 10

Musselburgh is town in East Lothian, Scotland, UK.

Density
4,358/km²
people per km²

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

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 7°C in the first days to 9°C by the end.

A typical March day in Musselburgh reaches about 8°C in the afternoon and slips back to 4°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 4°C and 11°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 1°C warmer than February and about 2°C cooler than April.

-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
173
273
373
473
573
673
773
873
973
1073
1183
1284
1384
1484
1584
1684
1784
1884
1984
2084
2184
2284
2384
2484
2584
2684
2784
2884
2994
3094
3194

How March really feels in Musselburgh

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 25 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
25
wind chill below the day's low

The story in March is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Musselburgh weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 7814.82.27.40.5
Feb / 63122.29.20.6
Mar / 61131.611.41.1
Apr10° / 5411.10.613.82.0
May12° / 5812.50163.0
Jun15° / 10°7113.2017.24.0
Jul17° / 12°7713.9016.74.7
Aug17° / 12°8214014.84.7
Sep15° / 10°6712012.54.1
Oct12° / 8913.9010.12.8
Nov / 8014.10.481.5
Dec / 8214.31.86.80.6

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% 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 73%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13169
23169
33169
43169
53070
63070
72971
82872
92773
102773
112674
122674
132575
142575
152674
162674
172674
182674
192674
202674
212674
222773
232674
242674
252773
262773
272674
282773
292773
302674
312674

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Musselburgh gets around 61 mm of rain and snow over 13 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 42% and peaks near 49% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1488
2498
3498
4497
5497
6487
7486
8476
9476
10465
11465
12455
13445
14435
15425
16415
17405
18395
19385
20375
21375
22365
23365
24365
25365
26365
27375
28375
29375
30385
31385

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in March

Winds average 20 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 21 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
121breezy
221breezy
321breezy
421breezy
521breezy
621breezy
721breezy
821breezy
921breezy
1021breezy
1121breezy
1221breezy
1321breezy
1420breezy
1520breezy
1620breezy
1720breezy
1820breezy
1920breezy
2020light breeze
2120light breeze
2220light breeze
2320light breeze
2419light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 12 min at the start of March to 12 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 144 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 7:18 AM to 5:59 AM, and sunset from 5:33 PM to 6:36 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.27:185:33
210.37:165:35
310.47:135:37
410.57:115:39
510.67:085:41
610.67:055:43
710.77:035:46
810.87:005:48
910.96:585:50
1010.96:555:52
1111.06:525:54
1211.16:505:56
1311.26:475:58
1411.36:446:00
1511.36:426:02
1611.46:396:05
1711.56:366:07
1811.66:346:09
1911.76:316:11
2011.76:286:13
2111.86:266:15
2211.96:236:17
2312.06:206:19
2412.16:186:21
2512.16:156:23
2612.26:126:25
2712.36:106:27
2812.46:076:29
2912.56:046:32
3012.56:016:34
3112.65:596:36

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 2.31 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.39 kWh/m² to a high of 4.8 kWh/m² in May across the year — March's 2.31 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.8Dim
21.8Dim
31.8Dim
41.9Dim
51.9Dim
61.9Dim
72.0Dim
82.0Dim
92.0Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.1Moderate
122.1Moderate
132.2Moderate
142.2Moderate
152.3Moderate
162.3Moderate
172.3Moderate
182.4Moderate
192.4Moderate
202.5Moderate
212.5Moderate
222.5Moderate
232.6Moderate
242.6Moderate
252.7Moderate
262.7Moderate
272.8Moderate
282.8Moderate
292.8Moderate
302.9Moderate
312.9Moderate
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Musselburgh?

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

1.1
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
Beach & pool
never really warm enough

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Musselburgh.

What to pack for Musselburgh in March

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

In March, Musselburgh sees daytime highs around 8°C and nights near 4°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 13 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Musselburgh in March

The nearest coast averages about 6°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 21 km away) is warmest in August at about 14°C and coldest in February near 6°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

5°10°15°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan7Bracing
Feb6Bracing
Mar6Bracing
Apr7Bracing
May10Bracing
Jun12Bracing
Jul14Bracing
Aug14Bracing
Sep13Bracing
Oct12Bracing
Nov10Bracing
Dec8Bracing

UV index in Musselburgh in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Musselburgh peaks around June 20 at about 5 (high) — a little sun protection helps at midday. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 0 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 5 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateLowJun 20UV 5Dec 20UV 0
UV index (midday)Level
Jan0Low
Feb1Low
Mar2Moderate
Apr3Moderate
May5Moderate
Jun5High
Jul5High
Aug5Moderate
Sep3Moderate
Oct2Low
Nov1Low
Dec0Low
Location & terrain

Where is Musselburgh?

Musselburgh sits at 55.9°N, 3.0°W, 9 m above sea level, in United Kingdom. The nearest listed city is Bonnyrigg, 8.0 km away.

Topography around Musselburgh

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Musselburgh has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 82 m around an average of 18 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 483 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 852 m.

The land around Musselburgh is covered by water (32%) and grassland (23%) within 3 km, water (34%), cropland (21%) and grassland (20%) within 16 km, and grassland (47%) and water (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
82 m
16 km
483 m
80 km
852 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
March weather nearby: Bonnyrigg 8.0 km · Edinburgh 9.0 km · Penicuik 16 km · Kirkcaldy 21 km · Broxburn 26 km · Glenrothes 29 km · Dunfermline 29 km · Livingston 30 km

United Kingdom travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type D / G / M
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 89% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$57,602
2025
Happiness
6.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.1
per 100k, 2021
Road deaths
3.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Christian 60%none 26%Muslim 4%other 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 Musselburgh (55.9417°, -3.0499°, 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. 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).