Lai Châu weather in March

In March, Lai Châu sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 106 mm of rain across 13.8 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 24°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time in March, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of March to 12 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Lai Châu's 1st-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lai Châu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
8th warmest
Overnight low
14°
4th coldest
Rainfall
106 mm
13.8 wet days
Daylight
11 h 48 min
6:21 AM – 6:11 PM
Cloud cover
51%
1st clearest
Wind
4 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
4.47 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.5
out of 10

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 24°C by the end.

A typical March day in Lai Châu reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 18°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 4°C warmer than February and about 2°C cooler than April.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12212
22212
32212
42212
52312
62312
72313
82313
92313
102313
112313
122413
132413
142413
152414
162414
172414
182414
192414
202414
212414
222414
232415
242415
252415
262415
272415
282415
292515
302515
312515

Lai Châu weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 8th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan18° / 10°631010.85.9
Feb20° / 11°539.411.26.4
Mar24° / 14°10613.811.86.5
Apr26° / 17°13618.712.55.4
May27° / 20°22224.413.14.3
Jun28° / 21°32528.513.33.4
Jul27° / 22°38929.513.23.4
Aug28° / 21°37128.712.83.5
Sep27° / 20°20122.212.14.5
Oct25° / 18°961511.56.0
Nov22° / 14°508.710.96.9
Dec19° / 11°497.410.76.5

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time in March, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 40%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16238
26337
36238
46337
56337
66238
76238
86238
96238
106139
116139
126139
136139
146139
156139
166040
175941
185941
195941
205842
215842
225842
235842
245743
255743
265743
275743
285743
295743
305743
315842

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Lai Châu gets around 106 mm of rain over 13.8 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 45% and peaks near 58% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
135
235
335
435
535
635
736
836
937
1038
1138
1239
1340
1441
1542
1643
1744
1846
1947
2048
2150
2251
2352
2453
2554
2655
2756
2856
2957
3058
3158

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of March feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, March lands in the comfortable band about 42% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1524260
2504370
3494380
4484490
54644100
64545110
74345120
84145130
93946150
103746160
113646180
123447200
133247220
143047230
152846250
162746270
172546290
182445300
192345320
202244340
212142360
222041381
231940401
241838431
251737451
261635471
271634492
281533502
291432522
301330543
311229563

Wind in March

Winds average 4 km/h in March, the windiest month of the year.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 4 km/h on the calmest days to 4 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 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 42 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:34 AM to 6:06 AM, and sunset from 6:05 PM to 6:16 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:346:05
211.56:336:05
311.66:326:06
411.66:316:06
511.66:316:07
611.66:306:07
711.66:296:07
811.76:286:08
911.76:276:08
1011.76:266:09
1111.76:256:09
1211.86:246:09
1311.86:236:10
1411.86:236:10
1511.86:226:11
1611.86:216:11
1711.96:206:11
1811.96:196:12
1911.96:186:12
2011.96:176:12
2112.06:166:13
2212.06:156:13
2312.06:146:14
2412.06:136:14
2512.06:126:14
2612.16:116:15
2712.16:106:15
2812.16:096:15
2912.16:086:16
3012.16:076:16
3112.26:066:16

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.47 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.66 kWh/m² to a high of 4.99 kWh/m² in April across the year — March's 4.47 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.1Bright
24.1Bright
34.2Bright
44.2Bright
54.2Bright
64.3Bright
74.3Bright
84.3Bright
94.4Bright
104.4Bright
114.4Bright
124.5Bright
134.5Bright
144.5Bright
154.5Bright
164.5Bright
174.5Bright
184.6Bright
194.6Bright
204.6Bright
214.6Bright
224.6Bright
234.6Bright
244.6Bright
254.6Bright
264.6Bright
274.6Bright
284.6Bright
294.6Bright
304.6Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Lai Châu

In seasonPeak

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

Lai Châu's monsoon runs May–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is March a good time to visit Lai Châu?

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

6.5
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
5.2
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

March is a reasonable time to visit Lai Châu for sightseeing.

What to pack for Lai Châu in March

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

In March, Lai Châu sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 14°C. Worth packing: light clothes and rain gear. About 14 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

UV index in Lai Châu 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 Lai Châu peaks around June 19 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 5 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highExtremeVery highHighJun 19UV 14Dec 19UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan7High
Feb9Very high
Mar11Extreme
Apr9Very high
May11Extreme
Jun14Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct9Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec5High

Air quality in Lai Châu 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 Lai Châu is worst in April — around 70 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.0× the cleanest month (July, 14 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyModerateApr 1367 µg/m³Jul 1814 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan25Moderate
Feb33Moderate
Mar54Poor
Apr70Unhealthy
May28Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep18Moderate
Oct22Moderate
Nov23Moderate
Dec25Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Lai Châu?

Lai Châu sits at 22.4°N, 103.5°E, 919 m above sea level, in Vietnam. The nearest listed city is Sapa, 40 km away.

Thị Trấn Thuận ChâuÍt OngDien Bien PhuSơn La

Topography around Lai Châu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Lai Châu has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 544 m around an average of 1,001 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,836 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,035 m.

The land around Lai Châu is covered by trees (43%) and grassland (32%) within 3 km, trees (74%) within 16 km, and trees (85%) within 80 km.

3 km
544 m
16 km
2,836 m
80 km
3,035 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
March weather nearby: Sapa 40 km · Lào Cai 54 km · Mường Lay 55 km · Thị Trấn Phố Lu 75 km · Thị Trấn Thuận Châu 109 km · Ít Ong 114 km · Dien Bien Phu 121 km · Sơn La 128 km

Vietnam travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B / C / F
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,066
2025
Happiness
6.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
59%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.5
per 100k, 2011
Road deaths
30.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 500
Religion
none 86%Catholic 6%Buddhist 6%Protestant 1%

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 Lai Châu (22.3964°, 103.4582°, elevation 919 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).