Sarasota weather in March

In March, Sarasota sees average daytime highs of 73°F and overnight lows near 62°F, with 2.0 in of rain across 5.3 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 72°F in the first days to 75°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of March to 12 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Sarasota's 4th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sarasota's year-round climate.

Daytime high
73°
9th warmest
Overnight low
62°
4th coldest
Rainfall
2.0 in
5.3 wet days
Daylight
11 h 48 min
6:46 AM – 6:34 PM
Cloud cover
42%
4th clearest
Wind
9 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
5.58 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.9
out of 10

Sarasota is city in and county seat of Sarasota County, Florida, United States.

Density
844/km²
people per km²
Founded
1763

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 72°F in the first days to 75°F by the end.

A typical March day in Sarasota reaches about 73°F in the afternoon and slips back to 62°F overnight — a 11°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 67°F and 79°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 3°F warmer than February and about 5°F cooler than April.

50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17260
27260
37260
47260
57260
67260
77260
87260
97260
107260
117261
127361
137361
147361
157361
167362
177362
187362
197462
207462
217463
227463
237463
247463
257564
267564
277564
287564
297564
307564
317665

How March really feels in Sarasota

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

March sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Sarasota weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan69° / 57°2.35.710.57.2
Feb70° / 58°1.65.3117.4
Mar73° / 62°2.05.311.87.9
Apr78° / 67°1.95.312.67.8
May83° / 72°2.27.913.36.6
Jun85° / 77°5.818.213.74.2
Jul86° / 78°5.421.613.63.6
Aug87° / 78°6.023133.4
Sep85° / 77°6.017.512.24.2
Oct82° / 72°2.67.711.36.6
Nov76° / 64°1.53.810.68.1
Dec71° / 60°1.85.210.37.6

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 31%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16634
26733
36733
46733
56832
66832
76832
86832
96832
106931
116931
126931
136931
146931
157030
167030
176931
186931
196931
206931
217030
226931
236931
247030
257030
266931
277030
287030
296931
306931
316931

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Sarasota gets around 2.0 in of rain over 5.3 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 17% and peaks near 19% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
117
217
316
416
516
616
716
816
916
1016
1117
1217
1318
1418
1519
1619
1719
1819
1919
2019
2119
2219
2318
2418
2518
2617
2717
2816
2916
3016
3116

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 29% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 26% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1341824231
2351823231
3351923221
4361922211
5362022211
6372022201
7372022201
8372122201
9362123201
10362123201
11352123201
12342224201
13332224201
14322225211
15312225221
16302125221
17292125232
18282126242
19262126252
20262126262
21242225263
22232225273
23222226273
24212226284
25212126284
26202126294
27192126294
28192026305
29182027305
30181927315
31171927325

Wind in March

Winds average 9 mph in March, the windiest month of the year.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of March to 12 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 7:02 AM to 6:29 AM, and sunset from 6:25 PM to 6:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.47:026:25
211.47:016:26
311.47:006:26
411.56:596:27
511.56:586:28
611.56:576:28
711.66:566:29
811.66:556:29
911.66:536:30
1011.66:526:30
1111.76:516:31
1211.76:506:32
1311.76:496:32
1411.76:486:33
1511.86:476:33
1611.86:466:34
1711.86:456:34
1811.96:446:35
1911.96:426:35
2011.96:416:36
2111.96:406:36
2212.06:396:37
2312.06:386:37
2412.06:376:38
2512.06:366:38
2612.16:346:39
2712.16:336:40
2812.16:326:40
2912.26:316:41
3012.26:306:41
3112.26:296:42

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 5.58 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.39 kWh/m² to a high of 6.86 kWh/m² in May across the year — March's 5.58 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.1Bright
35.1Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.5Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
276.0Bright
286.0Bright
296.0Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Sarasota

In seasonPeak

None of Sarasota's seasonal hazards are active in March. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Sarasota sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Sarasota's rainy season runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is March a good time to visit Sarasota?

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

7.9
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
6.0
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Sarasota in March

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

In March, Sarasota sees daytime highs around 73°F and nights near 62°F. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection. About 5 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Sarasota in March

The nearest coast averages about 68°F 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 August at about 86°F and coldest in February near 65°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Mar 13 to Dec 26 — about 9.5 months when the water holds above 68°F.

60°70°80°90°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan65Cool
Feb65Cool
Mar68Refreshing
Apr73Refreshing
May78Warm
Jun83Tropical
Jul85Tropical
Aug86Tropical
Sep85Tropical
Oct81Warm
Nov74Refreshing
Dec69Refreshing

UV index in Sarasota 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 Sarasota peaks around July 14 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJul 14UV 11Dec 19UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan5Moderate
Feb7High
Mar9Very high
Apr9Very high
May10Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct8Very high
Nov6High
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Sarasota 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 Sarasota is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1717 µg/m³Nov 217 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr12Good
May11Good
Jun15Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Sarasota?

Sarasota sits at 27.3°N, 82.5°W, 23 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Bayshore Gardens, 7.5 mi away.

Topography around Sarasota

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Sarasota.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Sarasota has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 69 ft around an average of 23 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 95 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 384 ft.

The land around Sarasota is covered by artificial surfaces (43%), trees (30%) and water (20%) within 2 miles, water (41%) and trees (27%) within 10 miles, and water (43%), trees (27%) and grassland (20%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
69 ft
10 miles
95 ft
50 miles
384 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
March weather nearby: Bayshore Gardens 7.5 mi · South Bradenton 9.3 mi · Bradenton 12 mi · Venice 17 mi · North Port 27 mi · Ruskin 27 mi · Sun City Center 29 mi · St. Petersburg 31 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 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 Sarasota (27.3364°, -82.5306°, elevation 23 ft), 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).