Your March weather guide
CoolWeather in Puglia in March
March suits a Puglia trip focused on spending time outdoors in layers, rather than lying on a beach. Average daytime highs of 14.7°C make it mild rather than warm, while nights around 8.9°C call for a jacket. The sea averages 13.2°C, so comfortable swimming is not a reason to go. For a UK traveller, the appeal is a modest lift in daytime warmth, provided you can work around rain and accept cool evenings.
Long-term climate averages for Bari, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Puglia, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Bari.
- Average daytime high
- 14.7°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 19°C
- Average night-time low
- 8.9°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 6°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +4.2°C
- London averages 10.5°C in March
- Sea temperature
- 13.2°C
- year to year: 13°C to 14°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 5.8h
- 50% of 11.7 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 10
- 59 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 73%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 25.6°C
- 2001-03-25
- Record low 1991-2020
- 0.5°C
- 2020-03-25
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h 54 min
- 1716 km, short-haul (estimate for a direct flight)
Records are observed extremes within 1991-2020, not typical holiday conditions. Warm-day percentages are shares of days, not day counts.
How March compares
March is the 9th warmest month of the year in Puglia and ranks 100th of 134 destinations we compare for March - see where else is hot in March. Within Italy it is 5th of 16 (Italy in March). Against London's average high of 10.5°C in March, Puglia is 4.2°C warmer by day and 5.6°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in March
The typical March day in Puglia peaks at 14.7°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 18.6°C or more. Roughly 1 in 1000 days top 25°C. Nights average 8.9°C; one night in ten drops to 5.9°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest March day here reached 25.6°C (2001-03-25) and the coldest night 0.5°C (2020-03-25).
Rain in March
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 10 days with 1 mm or more, 59 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest March was 2015 with 131 mm, the driest 1994 with 4 mm. Humidity averages 73%.
Sea temperature in March
The sea averages 13.2°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 12.7°C to 13.6°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (26.1°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 5.8 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 11.7 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 06:04 and sets about 17:59 local time in mid-March. Average cloud cover is 50%.
Is March a good time to visit Puglia?
March is not the strongest month here: cool days and frequent rain. The best months for Puglia on our scoring are July, August, June; months averaging 25°C or more: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
Mild afternoons, but pack for colder spells
Plan your wardrobe around layers you can add and remove, not a suitcase of summer clothes. The warmer days can reach 18.6°C or more, making an afternoon outside more appealing, but that is not the everyday expectation. At the colder end, nights can fall to 5.9°C or below, so a proper jacket and a jumper are sensible even if the forecast looks encouraging. Keep lighter clothing for milder afternoons and something warmer ready for the evening. March works best if you enjoy being out without much heat; it is a poor fit if your main aim is reliably warm weather or sitting outside late in light clothes.
Leave room for rain, and treat the sea as scenery
Rain is a practical catch: about 10 days have measurable rainfall, so keep your plans flexible and pack a waterproof jacket. That does not mean every wet day is lost, but it does mean an entirely outdoor itinerary leaves little room to adjust. There are about 5.8 hours of sunshine within 11.7 hours of daylight, giving you scope to make use of brighter spells without expecting uninterrupted sun. The sea is cold, so think of time by the water as a walk in suitable clothing rather than a conventional beach day. If swimming is central to your holiday, March is the wrong match; if you are happy to adapt your day to the weather, it is more workable.
A little perspective
Puglia through the year
March is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12.1°C | 7.4°C | 13.6°C | 4.2 | 59 | 9 | 0% |
| February | 12.5°C | 7.2°C | 13.1°C | 5.1 | 56 | 10 | 0% |
| MarchSelected | 14.7°C | 8.9°C | 13.2°C | 5.8 | 59 | 10 | 0% |
| April | 17.5°C | 11.3°C | 14.3°C | 6.8 | 58 | 10 | 1% |
| May | 21.5°C | 15.3°C | 18.0°C | 8.3 | 40 | 8 | 11% |
| Junebest | 25.9°C | 19.5°C | 22.2°C | 10.8 | 35 | 6 | 58% |
| Julybest | 28.5°C | 22.0°C | 25.0°C | 12.4 | 25 | 5 | 91% |
| Augustbest | 29.0°C | 22.4°C | 26.1°C | 11.3 | 24 | 5 | 94% |
| September | 25.0°C | 19.1°C | 24.0°C | 7.7 | 57 | 8 | 50% |
| October | 21.1°C | 15.6°C | 20.6°C | 5.6 | 64 | 8 | 8% |
| November | 16.9°C | 12.1°C | 17.2°C | 4.1 | 71 | 9 | 0% |
| December | 13.1°C | 8.7°C | 14.8°C | 4.1 | 61 | 10 | 0% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
- Sea
Best months here
On warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, start with these.
Keep exploring
Similar in March
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Puglia in March FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Puglia hot in March?
Puglia is cool in March: the average daytime high is 14.7°C and nights average 8.9°C. Roughly 1 in 1000 March days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Puglia in March?
The sea around Puglia averages 13.2°C in March, which is cold for swimming without a wetsuit. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 13°C to 14°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Puglia in March?
Puglia sees about 10 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 59 mm of rain in a typical March. The wettest March between 1991 and 2020 was 2015 (131 mm) and the driest was 1994 (4 mm).
How sunny is Puglia in March?
Puglia gets around 5.8 hours of sunshine a day in March out of 11.7 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Puglia compare with the UK in March?
Puglia is on average 4.2°C warmer than London by day in March (14.7°C against 10.5°C).
What is the hottest March on record in Puglia?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest March day in Puglia reached 25.6°C on 2001-03-25, and the coldest night dropped to 0.5°C on 2020-03-25.
How much warmer is Puglia than London in March?
Puglia's average daytime high is 14.7°C, compared with 10.5°C in London, a difference of 4.2°C. That is a useful improvement for time outdoors, but it is still mild-weather territory rather than a switch to summer conditions.
Is Puglia a short-haul option from London?
Yes. The flight from London is about 2 h 54 min, making Puglia a short-haul option. The weather trade-off is that a relatively short journey brings modest warmth in March, not dependable beach weather.
When should I go instead for warmer holiday weather?
July, August and June are the strongest months for holiday weather in Puglia. Choose those over March if warmth is your priority. March makes more sense when you are content with cool conditions and flexible outdoor plans.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid) and NOAA Coral Reef Watch 5 km sea temperatures, 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Bari. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 0.6 km from that point. Sunshine hours are estimated from average cloud cover.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C