Dry-day rate calendar for March
Period: observations for 1996–2025 (30 years)
This is the month when migratory highs and lows pass in turn and the weather changes on a cycle of a few days. In the 1996–2025 records, the dry-day rate falls below winter levels across the country, and the differences between stations narrow.
The "dry-day rate" is the share of years in which a given day had no precipitation (rain or snow) of 1 mm or more (daily rainfall under 1 mm, smoothed over the 4 days before and after).
These are statistics compiled from observations for 1996–2025 (30 years), not a weather forecast for any particular day. For the latest forecasts, see the JMA website.
March at a glance
The station with the highest monthly average dry-day rate in Japan, the national median, and the station with the lowest. The most comfortable stations this month: Hyuga / Saito / Shibushi (details in the comfort section below).
Dry-day rates across Japan (March average)
Each dot is 1 station. The highest and lowest stations are labeled on the map, and the top and bottom lists are below.
Daily calendar for major stations
The deeper the amber, the more years that day stayed dry (the colors match the legend above). The table below (averages for the early, middle, and late parts of the month) has the same values.
| Station | Early | Mid | Late | Monthly avg. | 2 days in a row | 3 days in a row | Windy days | Sunshine (avg.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | 50.9% | 56.6% | 61.1% | 56.3% | 37.3% | 24.6% | 16.1% | 4.7 hours |
| Sendai | 80.5% | 77.8% | 75.6% | 77.9% | 62.3% | 49.8% | 17.1% | 5.9 hours |
| Niigata | 51.2% | 52.4% | 55.7% | 53.2% | 30.2% | 16.0% | 15.4% | 4.5 hours |
| Kanazawa | 46.1% | 52.1% | 54.8% | 51.1% | 29.9% | 16.9% | 31.3% | 4.8 hours |
| Tokyo | 70.7% | 76.1% | 69.8% | 72.1% | 54.6% | 40.7% | 9.4% | 5.8 hours |
| Nagoya | 71.9% | 72.9% | 70.4% | 71.7% | 53.6% | 39.1% | 17.5% | 6.5 hours |
| Osaka | 71.0% | 70.8% | 69.4% | 70.4% | 51.4% | 36.3% | 4.0% | 5.8 hours |
| Hiroshima | 71.3% | 71.2% | 71.2% | 71.2% | 53.6% | 39.1% | 11.2% | 5.9 hours |
| Takamatsu | 72.6% | 70.2% | 70.1% | 70.9% | 51.9% | 36.8% | 4.9% | 5.9 hours |
| Fukuoka | 66.8% | 68.0% | 70.7% | 68.6% | 50.8% | 36.8% | 6.8% | 5.4 hours |
| Kagoshima | 64.8% | 64.3% | 63.7% | 64.2% | 43.4% | 28.2% | 10.0% | 5.4 hours |
| Naha | 63.0% | 66.3% | 66.0% | 65.1% | 44.5% | 30.5% | 50.0% | 3.9 hours |
"2 days in a row" and "3 days in a row" are the monthly averages of the share of years in which it stayed dry for 2 / 3 days starting that day (counted from the actual consecutive records, not by multiplying each day's share). They are a guide for multi-night trips and outdoor plans. "Windy days" is the share of days with a daily mean wind speed of 5 m/s or more. The sunshine averages include estimates from March 2021 onward at some stations.
Stations with the highest and lowest dry-day rates (March average)
Highest
Obihiro / Natori / Kushiro / Maebashi / Isesaki / Miyako / Sendai / Minami-Daito / Kita-Daito / Saku
Comfort in March (5 levels)
Based on observations of dry-day rate, sunshine, wind, and temperature for 1996–2025 (30 years), each station is rated on 5 levels of comfort for March. The tables also show the values behind each rating and the factor that lowered it most (the main factor). Some stations with short sunshine records are not rated.
Each dot is 1 station. The colors match the levels in the legend. The top and bottom lists are below.
Most comfortable stations (top)
| Station | Level | Main factor | Dry-day rate | Sunshine (avg.) | Windy days | High (avg.) | Low (avg.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyuga | Comfortable | None | 69.0% | 6.1 hours | 0.0% | 17.2°C | 6.1°C |
| Saito | Comfortable | None | 67.0% | 6.1 hours | 1.5% | 17.2°C | 6.5°C |
| Shibushi | Comfortable | None | 63.1% | 5.8 hours | 0.0% | 17.8°C | 6.7°C |
| Nobeoka | Comfortable | None | 70.5% | 6.1 hours | 6.7% | 17.0°C | 6.3°C |
| Kochi | Comfortable | None | 69.5% | 6.3 hours | 0.3% | 16.7°C | 6.7°C |
| Miyazaki | Comfortable | None | 68.0% | 6.1 hours | 13.2% | 17.5°C | 7.7°C |
| Takanabe | Comfortable | None | 66.4% | 6.1 hours | 2.0% | 16.9°C | 7.0°C |
| Nakamura | Comfortable | None | 64.7% | 6.0 hours | 0.0% | 16.7°C | 5.2°C |
| Kushima | Comfortable | None | 62.9% | 5.7 hours | 2.0% | 17.5°C | 7.2°C |
| Susaki | Comfortable | None | 67.2% | 6.2 hours | 0.0% | 16.4°C | 6.0°C |
Harshest stations (bottom)
| Station | Level | Main factor | Dry-day rate | Sunshine (avg.) | Windy days | High (avg.) | Low (avg.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washikura | Harsh | Cold | 54.1% | 3.7 hours | 31.7% | 1.3°C | -5.2°C |
| Rumoi | Harsh | Cold | 59.4% | 4.2 hours | 54.8% | 3.5°C | -3.2°C |
| Hachimantai | Harsh | Cold | 41.2% | 3.5 hours | 0.0% | 3.2°C | -4.3°C |
| Sukayu | Harsh | Cold | 47.9% | 2.8 hours | 9.9% | 0.2°C | -6.2°C |
| Kutchan | Harsh | Cold | 45.7% | 4.0 hours | 13.3% | 3.5°C | -5.3°C |
| Otoineppu | Harsh | Cold | 51.3% | 3.5 hours | 1.8% | 2.1°C | -7.7°C |
| Hibara | Harsh | Cold | 47.3% | 3.7 hours | 1.8% | 4.3°C | -5.2°C |
| Oisawa | Harsh | Cold | 39.7% | 3.4 hours | 0.0% | 5.6°C | -3.6°C |
| Haboro | Harsh | Cold | 56.6% | 4.3 hours | 35.2% | 3.5°C | -3.8°C |
| Hijiori | Harsh | Cold | 37.7% | 3.3 hours | 0.0% | 5.7°C | -2.5°C |
Stations are ordered by their rating from the observations. "Windy days" is the share of days with a daily mean wind speed of 5 m/s or more, and "Sunshine (avg.)" is the monthly average of daily sunshine hours (including estimates from March 2021 onward at some stations).
Typhoon approaches in March (5 broad areas)
In the confirmed records for 1951–2025, no typhoon approached any area in March.
The 5 areas are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa and Amami. The Izu and Ogasawara Islands are not included in Honshu (listed separately).
Typhoon approach calendar / Look up past typhoons by date range
What makes March distinctive
In March, the lineup at the top of the dry-day rate moves north. In measurements over 30 years (1996–2025), Obihiro (80.7%) / Kushiro (79.2%) led the high side, followed by inland Gunma with Maebashi (78.3%) / Isesaki (78.2%), and Miyako (78%). Eastern Hokkaido and the Sanriku coast drew level with inland Kanto, which had held the top spots through winter. The low side also rose, to Takada (42.4%) / Itoigawa (42.7%), about double their 19.9% / 20.8% in January. The range of hits and misses by destination was much narrower than in the 3 winter months.
Temperature becomes the deciding factor instead. Average highs lined up as Naha 22.1°C / Kagoshima 18°C against Tokyo 14.7°C / Sapporo 4.9°C, and Etanbetsu had an average low of -9.8°C. Whether you chase spring flowers in the south or see lingering snow in the north makes the same March trip something else entirely. Even as the dry-day rate rises, however, the consecutive-day figures are slow to grow, and the nationwide share of 3 straight days without precipitation stayed at 32.9%. Days with a daily mean wind speed of 5 m/s or more were frequent at Cape Muroto (79.6%) / Choshi (67.5%), terrain jutting out into the Pacific.
The record values in this commentary are as compiled in September 2026, and the normals are based on 1996–2025 (30 years).
Other months and calendars
February calendar April calendar
Cherry blossom calendar (some stations have recorded flowering or full bloom in March)
When to travel calendar (holidays, long weekends, and comfort levels for 12 months at once)
Each station's page also has a 12-month calendar for that station.