Early March 1 March
49°F
Typical afternoon high
44% historical wet-day frequency
Ireland · Beach
The west of Ireland
in March.
Is March a good time?
Cool days.
More overnight stays than February.
March averages 51°F afternoons and 48°F seas, with about 13 rain days. Later March is typically warmer.
- Afternoons
- 51°F
- Sea
- 48°F
- Visitor demand
- 44%of August peak
Historical Northern and Western regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Covers Galway, Connemara and Donegal; conditions vary within the region.
Overall match
3.0/10 · scores & prioritiesWhat matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#10 of 12 months here · Balanced mix
Weather1.0/10Poor
CrowdsModerate seasonvs its own year; overnight stays do not measure queuesFor its size, one of Europe's busiest this month
CostPriceyfor Europe; Ireland-wide price level
Overall combines weather, overnight demand and cost. It does not include sea temperature.
Plan your March
What to expect.
What should I pack?
Afternoons around 51°F (11°C): a sweater and a light jacket; nights around 37°F (3°C): a winter coat, hat and gloves. Bring rain gear: about 13 days with at least 1 mm of rain. About 12 hours of daylight.
Can I swim in March?
The sea averages 48°F. Our swimming guide: very cold: wetsuit weather. Your comfort will vary. This is open water near the coast, not a beach-specific reading.
Monthly coastal averages from NOAA, 2011–2025. Sea temperature is separate from the weather and Overall scores.
A typical day: temperatures & daylightAfternoons, nights, sea temperature & daylight Show detailsHide details
About 12 hours of daylight.
The sun rises about 06:51 and sets about 18:36 (local time, mid-month). Mornings start around 37°F (3°C); afternoons reach about 51°F (11°C). Expect rain on about 13 days in a typical March.
Typical afternoon
51°F (11°C)
average daily high, 15 recent Marches
Night low
37°F (3°C)
average daily minimum
Sea
48°F (9°C)
very cold; open water near the coast, NOAA satellite record 2011–2025
Daylight
11h 44m
on the 15th, computed from latitude
Early, middle or late?
Early or late March?
Late March is typically warmer. The afternoon high averages 49°F on the 1st, versus 54°F on the 31st. Historical wet-day frequency falls from 44% to 40% between those dates.
Mid March 15 March
51°F
Typical afternoon high
44% historical wet-day frequency
Late March 31 March
54°F
Typical afternoon high
40% historical wet-day frequency
Historical daily averages from 2011–2025, smoothed over two weeks. A seasonal pattern, not a forecast. This does not establish which week has the lowest prices or fewest visitors.
Public holidays · 2027: 17 Mar Saint Patrick's Day; 29 Mar Easter Monday.
Daily calendar & holiday datesMarch 2027 · historical weather & dated holidays Show calendarHide calendar
March 2027 calendar
Weather shows historical patterns, not a forecast. Holidays and events use the dates shown for 2027.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 149° | 249° | 349° | 449° | 549° | 649° | 750° |
| 850° | 950° | 1050° | 1150° | 1251° | 1351° | 1451° |
| 1551° | 1651° | 1751° | 1852° | 1952° | 2052° | 2152° |
| 2253° | 2353° | 2453° | 2553° | 2653° | 2753° | 2853° |
| 2953° | 3054° | 3154° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
Afternoons warm from about 49°F (10°C) in the first week to 53°F (12°C) in the last. The chance of a wet day runs 37–47%.
School-holiday dates for March 2027 aren't available in our data yet. A day without a school marker doesn't mean schools are open. Public holidays: 17 Mar Saint Patrick's Day; 29 Mar Easter Monday. Elsewhere in March 2027, the share of people living where schools are out on a typical day: Germany 27%, Spain 30%, Italy 19%, France 10%. (School holidays: OpenHolidays, ODbL.)
Crowds and cost
Visitor season
Will it be busy?
Moderate season. March averages 44% of August's overnight stays per day. More overnight stays than February.
Overnight stays across Northern and Western do not measure queues, day visitors or congestion at individual sights. For its size, one of Europe's busiest this month.
Hotel price season
Will it be cheaper?
About usual. Estimated from national hotel prices and local visitor demand; no measured regional room rate is available.
Fewer overnight stays do not automatically mean cheaper rooms. Check actual quotes for your trip.
Ireland as a whole
Above EU average
2024 restaurants and hotels price level: 129 where the EU average is 100. A relative index, not a room rate.
Year-to-year variation
How much does March vary?
Across the recorded years
In the 15 years from 2011 to 2025, the month's afternoons averaged between 46°F (8°C) and 55°F (13°C); in 11 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 51°F (11°C). Rain days ranged from 5 to 20; half the years had 10–17.
Rain days in each March
Rain days
13
at least 1 mm, typical year; about 19 in a wet year
Mostly sunny days
2 of 31
cloud cover under 30%
Years with a 95°F+ day
0 of 15
no March in the last 15 years had a day at or above 95°F (35°C)
Good weather days
1 of 31
rated very good or better
See every recorded MarchHistorical monthly averages, year by year Show detailsHide details
| Year | Afternoon high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 51°F | 9 |
| 2012 | 55°F | 6 |
| 2013 | 46°F | 10 |
| 2014 | 51°F | 17 |
| 2015 | 50°F | 14 |
| 2016 | 51°F | 12 |
| 2017 | 53°F | 16 |
| 2018 | 48°F | 14 |
| 2019 | 51°F | 18 |
| 2020 | 50°F | 13 |
| 2021 | 52°F | 13 |
| 2022 | 54°F | 10 |
| 2023 | 51°F | 20 |
| 2024 | 52°F | 20 |
| 2025 | 54°F | 5 |
Checked against 24 local weather stations. How we check
Compare dates
February, March
or April?
| Typical conditions | Feb | Mar | Apr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 48°F | 51°F | 56°F |
| Sea | 48°F | 48°F | 49°F |
| Rain days | 15 | 13 | 12 |
| Overnight demand | 35% | 44% | 38% |
February: Cooler afternoons and more rain days than March. Less overnight demand. February guide →
April: Warmer afternoons than March. Less overnight demand. April guide →
Overnight demand measures accommodation stays, not queues. Sea temperatures are monthly coastal averages.
Compare any of the 12 monthsChoose another month and compare it with March Show comparisonHide comparison
Yellow marks the top three months on the Balanced mix. March stays as your reference.
April has a Weather score at least 1.0 point higher than March, without a substantially busier visitor season.
Your comparison
March or February?
Overnight stays are 35% of the busiest month.
National hotel prices and local visitor demand suggest a little below usual. No measured regional room rate is available.
Read the February guide →| Typical conditions | March | February |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 51°F | 48°F |
| Nights | 37°F | 37°F |
| Sea | 48°F | 48°F |
| Rain days | 13 | 15 |
| Visitor season | Moderate season | Moderate season |
| Overall / 10 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Month rank | #10 | #9 |
Every month, in detail Show detailsHide details
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Sea | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.0 | #8 | 47°F | 37°F | 49°F | 15 | 1.0 | Low season |
| February | 3.0 | #9 | 48°F | 37°F | 48°F | 15 | 1.0 | Moderate season |
| March | 3.0 | #10 | 51°F | 37°F | 48°F | 13 | 1.0 | Moderate season |
| April | 4.3 | #4 | 56°F | 40°F | 49°F | 12 | 2.3 | Moderate season |
| May | 4.4 | #3 | 61°F | 44°F | 53°F | 10 | 3.4 | Busy season |
| June | 4.2 | #5 | 65°F | 48°F | 56°F | 14 | 4.1 | Busy season |
| July | 4.5 | #1 | 67°F | 51°F | 59°F | 14 | 4.6 | Busy season |
| August | 4.0 | #6 | 66°F | 52°F | 60°F | 14 | 4.5 | Peak season |
| September | 4.4 | #2 | 63°F | 50°F | 59°F | 13 | 3.7 | Busy season |
| October | 3.6 | #7 | 57°F | 46°F | 56°F | 16 | 1.6 | Moderate season |
| November | 3.0 | #11 | 51°F | 41°F | 54°F | 15 | 1.0 | Low season |
| December | 3.0 | #12 | 48°F | 39°F | 51°F | 17 | 1.0 | Low season |
Near here
Nearby places in March
Nearby regions, nearest first. Distances are centre to centre, as the crow flies; they are not road distances or journey times.
Elsewhere in Europe
Better March weather than The west of Ireland
The west of Ireland's weather ranks 77 of 77 beach regions this month. These beach regions outside Ireland have clearly better weather on your dates, nearest first, each compared with The west of Ireland.
BrittanyFrance · about 470 miles
Poor weather (2.5): 4°F warmer afternoons, 3 fewer rain days, quieter for its season (low season), cheaper
Western NormandyFrance · about 490 miles
Poor weather (2.3): 3°F warmer afternoons, 4 fewer rain days, quieter for its season (low season), cheaper
Eastern NormandyFrance · about 520 miles
Poor weather (2.3): 3°F warmer afternoons, 3 fewer rain days, cheaper
Bruges & the Belgian coastWest Flanders · Belgium · about 530 miles
Poor weather (2.2): 2°F warmer afternoons, 3 fewer rain days, cheaper
Lille & the north coastFrance · about 530 miles
Poor weather (2.4): 3°F warmer afternoons, 3 fewer rain days, cheaper
How we knowSources, regional scope & scoring method Show detailsHide details
It's moderate season, 44% of the busiest month and 18% below its average month. That means about 27,000 overnight visitors on a typical March night across the region, 40% of them from Ireland itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 4,200 more: 16 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Beach, 0–100) | 38 |
| How our weather was checked | 24 open weather stations in this region, January and July: afternoon highs typically within 1°F (0.3°C), night lows within 1°F (0.4°C). |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 28 |
| Busiest month here | August · 65 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 2.8% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 92nd percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 40% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 16 |
| Visitor share if every platform night were extra | 3.2% |
| National hotel-price season | Ireland historical 2024–2025 index: About usual (−4% vs its average month). Not a local room quote. |
| Population used | 959,000 |
| Statistical region | IE04 · Northern and Western |
Crowds: Eurostat nights spent at tourist accommodation, by month and NUTS 2 region, 2024–2025 average. Overnight visitors per night is the month's nights divided by its days; the per-1,000 figure is Eurostat's, against each year's population. Platform rentals: Eurostat nights booked via Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor, 2024–2025 average, shown separately because some properties are in both counts. Weather: Holiday Climate Index computed from ERA5 reanalysis with daily highs, night lows and rain days corrected from open national weather-service station records, 2011–2025, population-weighted to the region; day-by-day figures are the same data averaged by date. Heat and rain odds are counted across those years. Sunrise and sunset: NOAA solar equations, local time. Prices: Eurostat price level index and HICP, national. Full method · this region's data.