March is one of the warmer months of the year in Timaru, with average highs near 17.6°C and lows around 11.7°C (mean 14.7°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 56 mm of rainfall and 75% relative humidity across the period.
March is one of the warmer months of the year in Timaru. Across 45 years of records, the warmest March in Timaru was 2019 — when the month averaged 16.8°C — while the coldest was 2006 at 12.7°C. Typical March days reach 17.6°C with nights near 11.7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
March is about average for rainfall in Timaru, averaging 56 mm of rainfall. The wettest March on record was 1984 with 147 mm, while the driest was 2001 at 10 mm.
Relative humidity in Timaru during March averages 75%. The most humid March was 1984 at 83%, and the least humid was 1992 at 69%.
March receives about 4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Timaru. The sunniest Marchs were 1995, 2002 and 2011 at 4.4 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2006 at 3.6.
Average wind speed in Timaru during March is 3.6 m/s. The windiest Marchs were 1992, 1998 and 2006 at 4.4 m/s, while the calmest was 1984 at 3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 14.4°C | 14.3°C | 14.7°C | 15.0°C | 15.0°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg High | 17.2°C | 17.3°C | 17.7°C | 17.9°C | 17.8°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Low | 11.7°C | 11.3°C | 11.7°C | 12.0°C | 12.1°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg Rain | 86 mm | 63 mm | 38 mm | 53 mm | 38 mm | -49 mm |
March temperatures in Timaru have risen by about 0.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
March has ranged from a record low of 5.2°C (1983) to a record high of 27.2°C (2019).
Rainfall in March is about average for rainfall, averaging 56 mm, with a wettest year of 147 mm.
One of the best times to visit Timaru
March is one of the best times to visit Timaru. Expect days averaging 17.6°C and nights around 11.7°C (mean 14.7°C) — warmer than Timaru's yearly average — with moderate rainfall (56 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 | 18.4°C | 15.6°C | 12.7°C | 26.8°C | 9.9°C | 52 mm | 76% | 3.5 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2024 | 17.1°C | 14.0°C | 10.9°C | 24.8°C | 7.8°C | 26 mm | 69% | 4 m/s | 4 |
| 2023 | 18.4°C | 15.3°C | 12.3°C | 24.2°C | 8.0°C | 70 mm | 75% | 4.1 m/s | 4 |
| 2022 | 17.5°C | 15.3°C | 13.0°C | 23.9°C | 10.7°C | 18 mm | 82% | 3.3 m/s | 4 |
| 2021 | 18.7°C | 15.7°C | 12.6°C | 23.7°C | 10.2°C | 22 mm | 73% | 3.2 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2020 | 16.9°C | 14.0°C | 11.1°C | 23.6°C | 7.9°C | 36 mm | 74% | 4 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2019 🔥 | 19.7°C | 16.8°C | 13.9°C | 27.2°C | 11.0°C | 50 mm | 77% | 3.1 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2018 | 18.6°C | 15.8°C | 13.0°C | 23.7°C | 9.1°C | 48 mm | 76% | 3.3 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2017 | 16.9°C | 14.3°C | 11.7°C | 24.1°C | 9.6°C | 89 mm | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2016 | 18.3°C | 15.3°C | 12.2°C | 25.2°C | 8.6°C | 41 mm | 75% | 3.4 m/s | 4 |
| 2015 | 17.8°C | 14.9°C | 12.0°C | 23.2°C | 8.1°C | 59 mm | 78% | 3.5 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2014 | 17.0°C | 14.2°C | 11.5°C | 22.8°C | 8.0°C | 49 mm | 78% | 3.8 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2013 | 18.5°C | 15.6°C | 12.7°C | 22.8°C | 10.4°C | 30 mm | 76% | 3.2 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2012 | 16.5°C | 13.5°C | 10.5°C | 21.1°C | 7.8°C | 54 mm | 75% | 3.8 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2011 | 17.3°C | 14.3°C | 11.3°C | 22.8°C | 8.9°C | 74 mm | 77% | 3.6 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2010 | 18.5°C | 15.0°C | 11.5°C | 24.3°C | 7.8°C | 32 mm | 71% | 4 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2009 | 17.2°C | 14.3°C | 11.3°C | 22.3°C | 7.3°C | 27 mm | 75% | 3.9 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2008 | 18.4°C | 15.3°C | 12.2°C | 23.8°C | 8.8°C | 35 mm | 75% | 3.4 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2007 | 19.2°C | 15.9°C | 12.5°C | 24.7°C | 8.4°C | 46 mm | 74% | 3.3 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2006 ❄️ | 15.5°C | 12.7°C | 10.0°C | 21.5°C | 7.6°C | 42 mm | 74% | 4.4 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2005 | 16.7°C | 14.3°C | 11.8°C | 23.3°C | 8.5°C | 60 mm | 80% | 3.5 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2004 | 17.2°C | 14.0°C | 10.9°C | 23.9°C | 6.8°C | 46 mm | 74% | 4.2 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2003 | 17.8°C | 15.2°C | 12.7°C | 22.9°C | 9.7°C | 34 mm | 79% | 3.1 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2002 | 18.8°C | 15.3°C | 11.9°C | 22.5°C | 8.2°C | 22 mm | 70% | 4 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2001 | 18.2°C | 15.2°C | 12.3°C | 25.8°C | 8.6°C | 10 mm | 72% | 3.5 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2000 | 17.8°C | 14.5°C | 11.2°C | 26.1°C | 7.5°C | 61 mm | 75% | 3.5 m/s | 4 |
| 1999 | 19.5°C | 16.4°C | 13.2°C | 24.2°C | 10.0°C | 43 mm | 74% | 3.5 m/s | 4 |
| 1998 | 19.3°C | 15.8°C | 12.3°C | 23.9°C | 8.0°C | 44 mm | 71% | 4.4 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1997 | 16.0°C | 13.3°C | 10.6°C | 19.9°C | 8.6°C | 61 mm | 77% | 3.6 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1996 | 16.3°C | 13.6°C | 10.9°C | 19.7°C | 7.4°C | 67 mm | 76% | 3.8 m/s | 4 |
| 1995 | 17.7°C | 14.4°C | 11.1°C | 23.4°C | 7.0°C | 69 mm | 72% | 3.8 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1994 | 16.4°C | 13.6°C | 10.8°C | 21.3°C | 7.2°C | 133 mm | 78% | 4.3 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1993 | 15.8°C | 13.1°C | 10.4°C | 21.5°C | 6.9°C | 83 mm | 76% | 4 m/s | 3.7 |
| 1992 | 16.7°C | 13.4°C | 10.0°C | 24.3°C | 5.6°C | 50 mm | 69% | 4.4 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1991 | 16.7°C | 14.3°C | 11.8°C | 20.5°C | 8.8°C | 32 mm | 81% | 3.3 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1990 | 18.7°C | 15.4°C | 12.2°C | 24.8°C | 7.1°C | 49 mm | 73% | 3.4 m/s | 4 |
| 1989 | 18.2°C | 14.9°C | 11.6°C | 23.7°C | 7.4°C | 86 mm | 73% | 3.7 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1988 | 16.6°C | 13.5°C | 10.4°C | 25.2°C | 7.1°C | 47 mm | 74% | 3.8 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1987 | 15.6°C | 13.4°C | 11.2°C | 19.6°C | 8.0°C | 114 mm | 81% | 3.6 m/s | 4 |
| 1986 | 17.0°C | 14.5°C | 12.1°C | 21.8°C | 9.1°C | 118 mm | 79% | 3.6 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1985 | 17.2°C | 14.4°C | 11.6°C | 23.7°C | 8.3°C | 32 mm | 74% | 3.7 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1984 🌧️ | 17.4°C | 15.1°C | 12.8°C | 21.8°C | 8.8°C | 147 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 3.7 |
| 1983 | 17.3°C | 13.9°C | 10.5°C | 22.3°C | 5.2°C | 87 mm | 73% | 4 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 18.0°C | 15.4°C | 12.7°C | 22.2°C | 8.4°C | 26 mm | 75% | 3.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 17.3°C | 14.6°C | 12.0°C | 22.1°C | 7.9°C | 118 mm | 80% | 3.3 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 11.7°C (mean 14.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
March averages 56 mm of rainfall in Timaru, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 147 mm in 1984.
The hottest March reached 27.2°C in 2019. The coldest dipped to 5.2°C in 1983.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average March temperatures have risen by about 0.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 17.4°C to 18°C and overnight lows from 11.9°C to 12.3°C over the same span.
March is one of the warmer months of the year in Timaru and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 17.6°C daytime highs and 11.7°C at night.
Not quite — March is the 10th coolest month in Timaru, averaging 14.7°C.
For March in Timaru, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 17.6°C and lows of 11.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in March averages 75% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in March is 3.6 m/s. The windiest March on record averaged 4.4 m/s (1992).
The wettest March on record was 1984 with 147 mm. On average, March sees 56 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 Timaru 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.
