Southend-on-Sea weather in March

In March, Southend-on-Sea sees average daytime highs of 9°C and overnight lows near 5°C, with 46 mm of precipitation across 10.2 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 8°C in the first days to 10°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 30 min at the start of March to 12 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Southend-on-Sea's 8th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Southend-on-Sea's year-round climate.

Daytime high
9th warmest
Overnight low
4th coldest
Precipitation
46 mm
10.2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
6:22 AM – 5:52 PM
Cloud cover
70%
8th clearest
Wind
20 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
2.89 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.8
out of 10

Southend-on-Sea is city in Essex, United Kingdom.

Air quality
Moderate
PM2.5 10.6 µg/m³ · 2019
Density
7,072/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 8°C in the first days to 10°C by the end.

A typical March day in Southend-on-Sea reaches about 9°C in the afternoon and slips back to 5°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 6°C and 12°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 2°C warmer than February and about 2°C cooler than April.

10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
184
284
384
484
584
685
795
895
995
1095
1195
1295
1395
1495
1595
1695
1795
1895
1995
2095
21105
22105
23105
24106
25106
26106
27106
28106
29106
30106
31106

How March really feels in Southend-on-Sea

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 2 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
2
wind chill below the day's low

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

Southend-on-Sea weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 6713.30.78.10.9
Feb / 5410.81.19.61.0
Mar / 4610.20.411.51.8
Apr12° / 4710013.53.0
May15° / 10°539.6015.34.3
Jun18° / 13°559.8016.35.6
Jul20° / 15°5611015.96.1
Aug20° / 15°6310.2014.46.2
Sep18° / 13°5610.3012.45.6
Oct14° / 10°7312.3010.44.0
Nov11° / 7112.50.18.62.3
Dec / 7412.70.87.71.3

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 69%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12773
22872
32872
42872
52872
62872
72773
82872
92773
102773
112773
122872
132872
142872
152872
162971
173070
183070
193268
203268
213367
223367
233466
243466
253466
263565
273664
283664
293664
303763
313763

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Southend-on-Sea gets around 46 mm of rain and snow over 10.2 wet days in March, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 33% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1403
2393
3393
4382
5382
6372
7362
8352
9341
10331
11321
12311
13301
14301
15301
16301
17301
18301
19301
20311
21311
22311
23321
24321
25331
26331
27331
28331
29341
30341
31341

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 18 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
620breezy
720breezy
820breezy
920breezy
1020breezy
1120light breeze
1220light breeze
1320light breeze
1420light breeze
1520light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2019light breeze
2119light breeze
2219light breeze
2319light breeze
2419light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 30 min at the start of March to 12 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 120 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:55 AM to 5:46 AM, and sunset from 5:26 PM to 6:18 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.56:555:26
210.66:535:27
310.66:515:29
410.76:495:31
510.86:465:33
610.86:445:35
710.96:425:36
811.06:405:38
911.06:385:40
1011.16:355:42
1111.26:335:43
1211.26:315:45
1311.36:285:47
1411.46:265:49
1511.46:245:50
1611.56:225:52
1711.66:195:54
1811.66:175:56
1911.76:155:57
2011.86:125:59
2111.86:106:01
2211.96:086:02
2312.06:056:04
2412.16:036:06
2512.16:006:08
2612.25:586:09
2712.35:566:11
2812.35:536:13
2912.45:516:14
3012.55:496:16
3112.55:466:18

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 2.89 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.68 kWh/m² to a high of 5.76 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 2.89 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.2Moderate
32.3Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.5Moderate
92.5Moderate
102.6Moderate
112.6Moderate
122.7Moderate
132.7Moderate
142.8Moderate
152.8Moderate
162.9Moderate
172.9Moderate
183.0Moderate
193.0Moderate
203.1Moderate
213.1Moderate
223.2Moderate
233.3Moderate
243.3Moderate
253.4Moderate
263.4Moderate
273.5Moderate
283.5Moderate
293.6Moderate
303.7Moderate
313.7Moderate
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Southend-on-Sea?

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

1.8
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Southend-on-Sea.

What to pack for Southend-on-Sea in March

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

In March, Southend-on-Sea sees daytime highs around 9°C and nights near 5°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Southend-on-Sea in March

The nearest coast averages about 7°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 30 km away) is warmest in August at about 18°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°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan7Bracing
Feb6Bracing
Mar7Bracing
Apr9Bracing
May12Bracing
Jun15Bracing
Jul17Cool
Aug18Cool
Sep17Cool
Oct15Bracing
Nov12Bracing
Dec9Bracing

UV index in Southend-on-Sea in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Southend-on-Sea peaks around June 23 at about 6 (high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 6 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateLowJun 23UV 6Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr3Moderate
May6High
Jun6High
Jul6High
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct2Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Southend-on-Sea?

Southend-on-Sea sits at 51.5°N, 0.7°E, 31 m above sea level, in United Kingdom. The nearest listed city is Rochford, 5.0 km away.

Topography around Southend-on-Sea

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Southend-on-Sea.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Southend-on-Sea has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 42 m around an average of 13 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 100 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 287 m.

The land around Southend-on-Sea is covered by water (39%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 3 km, water (38%) and grassland (23%) within 16 km, and water (28%) and cropland (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
42 m
16 km
100 m
80 km
287 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
March weather nearby: Rochford 5.0 km · Hadleigh 7.0 km · Rayleigh 9.0 km · Canvey Island 9.0 km · South Benfleet 11 km · Pitsea 15 km · Wickford 16 km · Basildon 18 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 Southend-on-Sea (51.5378°, 0.7143°, elevation 31 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).