March is one of the warmer months of the year in Kaikoura, with average highs near 17.6°C and lows around 12.6°C (mean 15.1°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 62 mm of rainfall and 76% relative humidity across the period.
March is one of the warmer months of the year in Kaikoura. Across 45 years of records, the warmest March in Kaikoura was 1998 — when the month averaged 16.8°C — while the coldest was 2006 at 13.4°C. Typical March days reach 17.6°C with nights near 12.6°C. The long-term March temperature trend is broadly flat.
March is about average for rainfall in Kaikoura, averaging 62 mm of rainfall. The wettest March on record was 2023 with 129 mm, while the driest was 1982 at 5 mm.
Relative humidity in Kaikoura during March averages 76%. The most humid March was 2022 at 84%, and the least humid was 1983 at 69%.
March receives about 4.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Kaikoura. The sunniest March was 2001 at 4.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1984 and 2006 at 3.9.
Average wind speed in Kaikoura during March is 3.1 m/s. The windiest Marchs were 1994 and 2006 at 3.9 m/s, while the calmest were 1982, 2003 and 2013 at 2.6 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 15.1°C | 14.9°C | 15.1°C | 15.3°C | 14.9°C | -0.2°C |
| Avg High | 17.6°C | 17.4°C | 17.6°C | 17.9°C | 17.4°C | -0.2°C |
| Avg Low | 12.7°C | 12.4°C | 12.5°C | 12.8°C | 12.4°C | -0.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 62 mm | 66 mm | 45 mm | 63 mm | 84 mm | +22 mm |
March temperatures in Kaikoura have fallen by about 0.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
March has ranged from a record low of 6.7°C (1983) to a record high of 27.4°C (1998).
Rainfall in March is about average for rainfall, averaging 62 mm, with a wettest year of 129 mm.
One of the best times to visit Kaikoura
March is one of the best times to visit Kaikoura. Expect days averaging 17.6°C and nights around 12.6°C (mean 15.1°C) — warmer than Kaikoura's yearly average — with moderate rainfall (62 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17.8°C | 15.3°C | 12.8°C | 24.1°C | 9.1°C | 123 mm | 79% | 2.8 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2024 | 17.0°C | 14.1°C | 11.2°C | 23.9°C | 7.4°C | 31 mm | 74% | 3.3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2023 🌧️ | 17.4°C | 15.1°C | 12.7°C | 22.7°C | 7.7°C | 129 mm | 80% | 3.6 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2022 | 16.9°C | 15.0°C | 13.2°C | 22.5°C | 10.6°C | 62 mm | 84% | 2.9 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2021 | 18.1°C | 15.5°C | 12.8°C | 23.2°C | 10.4°C | 45 mm | 75% | 2.7 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2020 | 17.2°C | 14.6°C | 11.9°C | 25.0°C | 8.8°C | 113 mm | 76% | 3.6 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2019 | 19.0°C | 16.6°C | 14.1°C | 24.4°C | 11.3°C | 55 mm | 79% | 2.7 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2018 | 18.4°C | 15.9°C | 13.4°C | 22.4°C | 10.0°C | 62 mm | 79% | 3 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2017 | 17.4°C | 15.1°C | 12.8°C | 24.0°C | 10.1°C | 94 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2016 | 18.1°C | 15.5°C | 12.9°C | 24.1°C | 9.5°C | 68 mm | 75% | 2.8 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2015 | 18.1°C | 15.7°C | 13.3°C | 24.9°C | 9.8°C | 47 mm | 78% | 3 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2014 | 16.8°C | 14.4°C | 12.1°C | 22.4°C | 8.9°C | 82 mm | 77% | 3.1 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2013 | 18.1°C | 15.8°C | 13.5°C | 22.0°C | 10.6°C | 76 mm | 76% | 2.6 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2012 | 16.1°C | 13.7°C | 11.2°C | 21.8°C | 8.3°C | 66 mm | 77% | 3.4 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2011 | 17.9°C | 15.1°C | 12.3°C | 23.0°C | 8.3°C | 44 mm | 75% | 3 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2010 | 18.6°C | 15.5°C | 12.3°C | 24.1°C | 8.6°C | 34 mm | 71% | 2.9 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2009 | 17.5°C | 14.7°C | 11.9°C | 22.6°C | 7.8°C | 16 mm | 74% | 3.4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2008 | 18.6°C | 16.0°C | 13.3°C | 24.8°C | 10.8°C | 44 mm | 76% | 2.9 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2007 | 19.2°C | 16.3°C | 13.4°C | 24.1°C | 9.0°C | 21 mm | 74% | 2.7 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2006 ❄️ | 15.8°C | 13.4°C | 11.0°C | 24.2°C | 9.1°C | 55 mm | 76% | 3.9 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2005 | 17.2°C | 15.0°C | 12.8°C | 22.5°C | 9.4°C | 93 mm | 81% | 2.9 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2004 | 17.0°C | 14.3°C | 11.6°C | 23.5°C | 8.6°C | 33 mm | 75% | 3.1 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2003 | 17.8°C | 15.7°C | 13.6°C | 21.9°C | 11.6°C | 38 mm | 80% | 2.6 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2002 | 18.3°C | 15.5°C | 12.8°C | 21.6°C | 8.5°C | 26 mm | 73% | 2.8 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2001 | 17.9°C | 15.5°C | 13.1°C | 25.1°C | 10.4°C | 38 mm | 74% | 2.9 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2000 | 17.1°C | 14.4°C | 11.8°C | 23.2°C | 9.1°C | 83 mm | 77% | 2.9 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1999 | 18.9°C | 16.4°C | 13.9°C | 24.8°C | 10.5°C | 98 mm | 78% | 2.9 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1998 🔥 | 19.7°C | 16.8°C | 13.8°C | 27.4°C | 10.7°C | 59 mm | 71% | 3.1 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1997 | 16.2°C | 13.9°C | 11.6°C | 22.8°C | 9.4°C | 105 mm | 79% | 3.4 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1996 | 16.4°C | 14.1°C | 11.9°C | 20.7°C | 9.2°C | 56 mm | 77% | 3.4 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1995 | 18.1°C | 15.3°C | 12.6°C | 22.0°C | 8.8°C | 61 mm | 75% | 3.2 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1994 | 16.2°C | 14.1°C | 11.9°C | 21.0°C | 8.8°C | 97 mm | 77% | 3.9 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1993 | 15.9°C | 13.6°C | 11.2°C | 20.4°C | 7.2°C | 69 mm | 78% | 3.7 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1992 | 16.9°C | 14.0°C | 11.0°C | 23.0°C | 7.2°C | 36 mm | 70% | 3.3 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1991 | 16.6°C | 14.6°C | 12.6°C | 19.8°C | 10.6°C | 36 mm | 81% | 3.1 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1990 | 19.1°C | 16.3°C | 13.5°C | 25.4°C | 8.9°C | 46 mm | 73% | 3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1989 | 18.2°C | 15.4°C | 12.6°C | 23.0°C | 9.3°C | 70 mm | 74% | 2.9 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1988 | 16.7°C | 14.2°C | 11.8°C | 22.8°C | 8.1°C | 49 mm | 74% | 3.3 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1987 | 15.5°C | 13.7°C | 11.9°C | 20.6°C | 7.6°C | 94 mm | 81% | 3.4 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1986 | 17.3°C | 14.9°C | 12.6°C | 22.2°C | 9.0°C | 92 mm | 77% | 3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1985 | 17.5°C | 15.0°C | 12.6°C | 25.7°C | 9.6°C | 38 mm | 75% | 3.4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1984 | 18.2°C | 15.9°C | 13.6°C | 22.5°C | 9.7°C | 92 mm | 79% | 2.7 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1983 | 18.7°C | 15.3°C | 12.0°C | 24.4°C | 6.7°C | 44 mm | 69% | 3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 17.9°C | 15.5°C | 13.1°C | 23.9°C | 9.6°C | 5 mm | 76% | 2.6 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 18.5°C | 16.2°C | 13.9°C | 24.5°C | 10.0°C | 71 mm | 78% | 2.8 m/s | — |
Actual recorded March data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in March is around 17.6°C with lows near 12.6°C (mean 15.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
March averages 62 mm of rainfall in Kaikoura, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 129 mm in 2023.
The hottest March reached 27.4°C in 1998. The coldest dipped to 6.7°C in 1983.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average March temperatures have fallen by about 0.6°C. Daytime highs moved from 18.2°C to 17.4°C and overnight lows from 13°C to 12.5°C over the same span.
March is one of the warmer months of the year in Kaikoura and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 17.6°C daytime highs and 12.6°C at night.
Not quite — March is the 10th coolest month in Kaikoura, averaging 15.1°C.
For March in Kaikoura, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 17.6°C and lows of 12.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in March averages 76% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in March is 3.1 m/s. The windiest March on record averaged 3.9 m/s (1994).
The wettest March on record was 2023 with 129 mm. On average, March sees 62 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Kaikoura behaves each March, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for March specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
