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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Sydney in March

Sydney in March: 52% of days see measurable rain, 77°F average high, 21% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Sydney in March is historically a poor month for sun: only 21% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 77°F). December is the clearest month for Sydney historically. Historical average, not a forecast.

What you are reading: 8-year historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis, not a forecast. A month that is historically 90% clear can still be overcast on your specific trip. For this week’s actual forecast, see the live Sydney page. Both can be true at once: “historically strong in this month; this particular week is not.” We label which is which.

Early vs. Late March

Clear-sky percentage for Sydney in March, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early March
1st–15th		 20% n=120 77°F
Late March
16th–end		 22% n=128 77°F
Full month average 21% n=248 77°F

Sunshine & warmth in March

A second measure using actual sunshine hours (ERA5 sunshine_duration), not the daily weather code. A Lowcountry day with 12 hours of sun and a 25-minute afternoon storm is counted below as a warm, sunny day — because it was. How we define this.

Sunshine-based metrics for Sydney in March. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early March
1st–15th		 74% n=120
Late March
16th–end		 67% n=128
Full month average 70% n=248
10.9 h median sunshine per day 75% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 52% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 21%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 70%. The 49-point gap is from brief afternoon convective storms that stamp the whole day as “rain” in the WMO code but leave the bulk of the sunshine untouched.

Bottom line

Sydney is mostly overcast in March historically: only 21% of days are clear across 8 years (n=248), avg high 77°F. If you want sun in Sydney, December is historically much better. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

→ See all destinations in December — historically the best month for sun in Sydney.

Every month in Sydney

Compare across all months with data. Numbers are historical clear-sky %.

Historical clear-sky % for Sydney, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 31% n=248 All destinations →
February 22% n=226 All destinations →
March ← this page 21% n=248 All destinations →
April 24% n=240 All destinations →
May 8% n=248 All destinations →
June 0% n=240 All destinations →
July 2% n=248 All destinations →
August 5% n=248 All destinations →
September 23% n=240 All destinations →
October 27% n=248 All destinations →
November 26% n=240 All destinations →
December 33% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Sydney in March?

Yes, frequently. In Sydney, 52% of days in March see measurable rain, based on 8 years of ERA5 historical data (n=248 days, 2018–2025). This is a historical average, not a forecast.

Is Sydney good for sun in March?

Not usually. Sydney is historically overcast in March: only 21% of days are clear (avg high 77°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025). December is historically far better for sun here.

All percentages are historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 8 full years (2018–2025). “Clear” means avg high ≥ 72 °F, precipitation < 1 mm, and a non-precipitation weather code. This is history, not a forecast. The live 7-day outlook for any destination is on its own page and may differ from the long-run average. Data from Open-Meteo.