Just as the name implies, South Africa is a stunning country located in the southernmost part of the African continent. The country covers 1.221.037 km (0.8 Miles) and is most unique in that it has three capital cities: Cape Town. Pretoria and Bloemfontein. South Africa has 10 distinct names in each of its native languages as well. Officially most South Africans speak English publicly and commercially but the multi-ethnic country also has 10 other official languages.
A good number of foreigners live in South Africa such as Indians, Asians, and Europeans. Another name for this diverse nation is the "Rainbow Nation", a reflection of its rich history, culture, and ethnicity. South Africa is also where some of the oldest human fossils were found in caves around the Gauteng province. This UNESCO heritage site is nicknamed the cradle of humankind. Archaeological finds also show that different species of hominins existed in parts of South Africa over 3 million years ago.
March weather in South Africa To get a good overview of the type of weather you can expect in March in South Africa, we will look at the day and night temperature, minimum and maximum water temperature, and if March is comfortable or humid Generally, March in South Africa will be really nice. Historical data shows that you can expect an average temperature of around 82°F / 28°C. But due to the very dry air, it can feel somewhat uncomfortable for some people. During the night, it will cool down to around 59°F / 15°C. South Africa has some rainy days in March. You can expect around 4 rainy days, with on average 0.7 inches / 19 mm of rain during the whole month.
The forecast for March 2025 is based on historical data and are averages. They will give a good indication what you can expect, but the daily temperature and rain will fluctuate during the month.
March weather in South Africa in more detail To get a better feeling for the type of weather, you can expect in March in South Africa, we will look at the temperature, rain, wind, humidity, water temperature, and sun and clouds- What will the temperature be in South Africa in March Generally, you can expect in March an average temperature of 82°F / 28°C during the day and an average of 59°F / 15°C during the night. In March, during the warmest part of the afternoon, the temperature can often get as high as 96°F / 36°C, and at the end of the night, it can get as low as 48°F / 9°C.
When looking at the whole year, July is the coldest month, with an average temperature of around 64°F / 18°C. February is the hottest month, with an average temperature of around 86°F / 30°C. When comparing March with the temperature in the month before and after, this is almost equal to February, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 86°F / 30°C. And slightly more than April, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 77°F / 25°C.
Day and night temperature variation for South Africa during the year. Day and night temperature variation for South Africa during the year.
But average temperatures only tell half of the story. It is also good to check the maximum and minimum temperatures. When looking at the whole year, February is the hottest month, with a temperature of around 100°F / 38°C. July is the coldest month, with a temperature of around 78°F / 26°C. When comparing March with the temperature in the month before and after, this is almost equal to February, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 100°F / 38°C. And almost equal to April, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 95°F / 35°C.
In the following graph, you can see how many cold and hot days you can expect in South Africa each month:
Day and night temperature variation for South Africa during the year. Day and night temperature variation for South Africa during the year.
- Can you expect rain in March in South Africa? Generally, you can expect about 4 rain days in March, with on average 0.7 inches / 19 mm of rain.
When looking at the whole year, February is the dryest month, with an average rainfall of around 0.5 inches / 13 mmmm. June is the wettest month, with an average rainfall of around 3.7 inches / 95 mmmm. When comparing March with the month before and after, this is more than February, which sees around 0.5 inches / 13 mm of rain. And a lot less than April, which sees around 1.9 inches / 47 mm of rain
Rain days for South Africa during the year. Rain days for South Africa during the year.
If we look at the number of days with rain, January is the month with the least amount of rain days with around 3 days. June and August And are the months with the most rain days with an average of between 9 and 10 days When comparing March with the month before and after, this is almost equal to February, which sees around 3 days of rain. And slightly less than April, which sees around 6 days of rain
There is one thing that is important to know, in many tropical destinations rain can be short and heavy, particularly during the rainy season. It means that the number of days with rain and the amount of rain can be high, but you will still see many lovely days with a short period of heavy rain.- What will the water temperature be in South Africa for March You can expect in March, the water temperature for South Africa to be between 66°F / 19°C and 59°F / 15°C.
To compare the water temperature we will use the maximum water temperature. You can expect this temperature on a more sunny day, close to the shore, when the wind does not mix the relatively warmer and colder water. February has the highest water temperature, with around 68°F / 20°C. August has the lowest water temperature, with an average of between 57°F / 14°C and 59°F / 15°C. When comparing the water temperature from March with the month before and after, March has a water temperature almost equal to February, with a water temperature of around 68°F / 20°C. And almost equal to the water temperature from April, that is around 62°F / 17°C.
Water temperature for South Africa during the year. Water temperature for South Africa during the year.
- Can you expect in March a lot of sunny days in South Africa Generally, you can expect around 12 sunny days in March and around 16 partly sunny days. The remaining days will be cloudy.
When looking at the whole year, July is the month with the highest number of sunny days, with an average of between 13 and 14 sunny days. September is the month with the lowest number of sunny days, with around 9 sunny days. When comparing March with the number of sunny days in the month before and after, it is almost equal to February, with around 11 sunny days. And almost equal to April, with around 12 sunny days
The number of sunny, partly sunny, and cloudy days for South Africa The number of sunny, partly sunny, and cloudy days for South Africa
We have looked at the sunny days in South Africa. Let's also look at the cloudy or overcast days. August is the month with the highest number of cloudy days, with around 8 cloudy days. January is the month with the lowest number of cloudy days, with around 1 cloudy day. When comparing March with the number of cloudy days in the month before and after, it is almost equal to February, with an average of between 1 and 2 cloudy days. And almost equal to April, with an average of between 4 and 5 cloudy days
- Will it be comfortable in March in South Africa? Generally, March in South Africa will have very dry air, and can feel somewhat uncomfortable for some people. But will be fine for most..
We use the humidity and temperature in South Africa to calculate the Wintersun Expert Comfort level for each month. The lower the Wintersun Expert Comfort level, the more comfortable it will be. Only for certain people, extremely dry air can feel slightly uncomfortable. When looking at the whole year, July has the lowest humidity, with a Wintersun Expert comfort level of "comfortable" (very dry air). January has the highest humidity, with a Wintersun Expert comfort level of "very comfortable" (dry air). When comparing March with the month before and after, this is slightly less than February, which has a Wintersun Comfort level of "very comfortable" (dry air). And slightly more than April, which has a Wintersun Comfort level of "comfortable" (very dry air)
Wintersun Expert Humidity / Comfort level for South Africa Wintersun Expert Humidity / Comfort level for South Africa
What to do in South Africa in March Winelands : South Africa is fast becoming one of the leading producers of wine in the world and its cape Winelands are among the most beautiful to behold. The views are breath-taking and you can go on wine tours with wine tastings. You can also get a glimpse of the wine production process and enjoy a picnic afterward with some of the best wines and cheeses in the region. There are wines in a few regions but Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are among the top locations with rows of manicured vineyards.Beaches: South Africa is famous for its pristine beaches, white sands, and stunning blue waters. You can relax by the beach after a long day or take a dip in the Indian ocean after sunbathing.Garden Route : This winding road along with game reserves, lagoons, sandy beaches, forests, and seaside villages is one of the top things to see when one visits South Africa. This route is also along with some other south African attractions like elephant parks and nature reserves. Along the way, one can also find the birds of Eden Park within the largest free-flying aviaries in the world.Kruger national park : One of South Africa's most famous attractions is the Kruger national park which is home to numerous ecosystems with all kinds of wildlife. This game reserve has everything from dry riverbeds to thickets and forests. Snowbirds will have the chance to spot crocodiles and hippos or any other of the big 5 wild animals. Another highlight of the park is a visit to iron age ruins in the Masorini villages.Museums : There are tons of museums in South Africa dedicated to showcasing South Africa's rich history and culture. The apartheid museum in Johannesburg, Iziko slave lodge, war museums, and Kruger museum are just a few worth mentioning. Is it humid in South Africa in March? A lot of people ask interested in the humidity or relative humidity for South Africa in March. But the real question they want to ask is not about humidity but the amount of moisture in the air. Or better, about comfort. Will it be comfortable in March in South Africa, or will high humidity make it uncomfortable. To answer this question, we have to look at the dew point. Relative humidity can change a lot in South Africa during the day and night, as it changes when the amount of moisture changes and, but also when the temperature changes. It is a lot less reliable for comfort. Where the dew point only varies with the amount of moisture in the air.Looking at the dew point, we can see that for the month of March, you can expect that South Africa will have very dry air, and can feel somewhat uncomfortable for some people. But will be fine for most..
July is the month with the most comfort. It will have very dry air, and can feel somewhat uncomfortable for some people. But will be fine for most.. January is the most uncomfortable month. It will have a low humidty, and will feel very comfortable. In the graph, you can see that there is a significant difference between the most comfortable and most uncomfortable months
Humidity level for South Africa Humidity level for South Africa
Is March a good time to go to South Africa? Trying to answer the question of whether March is a good time to go to South Africa is not as easy as it first seems. Some people like colder weather, and others prefer a warmer climate. Some are fine with some humidity, and others are not. If your location has air conditioning, the night temperature is less important. These are some examples. I will try to answer the question with a more generic person in mind. The more detailed information in this article should be enough to check further if this applies to you as well.
If we look at the average temperature for South Africa in March, we can see that it will be fine for most people. In March, you can expect it to be really nice, with an average temperature of around 82°F / 28°C. But due to the very dry air, it can feel somewhat uncomfortable for some people. During the night, it will be around 59°F / 15°C. As the number of overcast days is not high, you can enjoy the sun with around 12 sunny days and 16 partly sunny days. The last aspect we will look at is rain. You can expect around 4 rainy days, with on average 0.7 inches / 19 mm of rain during March. If it were more than five days, the location would be slightly less attractive for a shorter stay. We have looked at the average day temperature, the night temperature, humidity, the number of overcast days, and the rain. We think that March a good time to go to South Africa for most visitors.
Does it rain all day in South Africa in March?
In South Africa, it does not rain all day in March. You can expect around 4 rainy days, with on average 0.7 inches / 19 mm of rain during the month. Another way of looking at the rain is the number of sunny days. For South Africa, there are, on average 12 sunny days and 16 partly sunny days in March. That clearly shows that it is not raining all the time.
Is March the rainiest month in South Africa? March is not the month with the most rainy days, and not the month with the most rain. To answer what the rainiest month is in South Africa, we will both look at the month with the most rain, and the month with the highest number of rainy days. June and August are the months with the the highest number of rainiest days. On average, you can expect 10 days with rain. January is the month with the lowest number of rainy days, with aproximately 3 days. June and August are the months with the most rain. These are not equal to the months with the most rainy days. On average, you can expect 3.7 inches / 95 mm of rain. January is the month with the least amount of rain. This is not the same month as the one with the lowest number of rainy days. You can expect approximately 0.5 inches / 13 mm of rain.
Is March the most sunniest month in South Africa? March is not the month with the most sunny days, not the month with the most partly sunny days, and it is not the month with the lowest number of overcast days. To answer what the sunniest month is in South Africa, we will of course look at the month with the most sunniest days, but also look at the month with the biggest number of days that are sunny or partly sunny. July is the month with the highest number of sunny days. On average, you can expect 12 sunny days, and 16 partly suny days. September is the month with the lowest number of sunny days. January is the month with the highest number of sunny days and partly sunny days combined. While June is the month with the lowest number of sunny days and partly sunny days combined. The last thing we will look at is the number of overcast days. January is the month with the lowest number of overcast days. While August is the month with the highest number of overcast days.
More information about South Africa Weather in South Africa in other months What to do in South Africa for each month