Kota weather in March: from spring to the first hot days

Kota weather in March is a month of change. It starts with warm, clear spring days and comfortable nights and ends with the first properly hot afternoons of the year. The air becomes very dry, rain almost disappears, and by the last week many days are close to 40 C. This guide uses the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) 1991-2020 climatological tables for the Kota Airport observatory to describe a normal March, and explains how to plan festivals, sightseeing and daily routines around it.

Normals are long-term averages, not a forecast. For the coming days, check the live Kota weather forecast.

March at a glance: IMD climate tables

All figures are from IMD’s Climatological Tables 1991-2020 for station Kota (42452), on IMD’s Data Service Portal.

Measure (Kota Airport)	February	March	April
Mean daily maximum	27.1 C	33.3 C	39.3 C
Mean daily minimum	14.3 C	19.8 C	25.7 C
Hottest day of the month (mean)	33.5 C	39.5 C	43.7 C
Coolest night of the month (mean)	10.0 C	14.4 C	20.1 C
Rainfall	8.2 mm	2.7 mm	8.4 mm
Rainy days (2.5 mm or more)	0.7	0.6	0.8
Days with thunder	0.7	0.7	1.0
Days with hail	0.0	0.2	0.0
Relative humidity, 08:30 / 17:30 IST	53% / 30%	38% / 19%	26% / 13%
Mean wind speed	4.2 km/h	5.1 km/h	6.5 km/h

The jump is striking: the normal maximum rises by about 6 C from February to March, and again from March to April. March is the bridge between the two.

Early, middle and late March

• First week: spring weather. Afternoons around 30 C, nights in the mid to high teens, dry clear skies. A light layer is enough after dark.
• Middle of the month: warm. Afternoons in the low to mid thirties; fans and, in many homes, coolers come on.
• Last week: early summer. The warmest days reach the high thirties, and the hottest day of an average March is about 39.5 C. Midday sun is intense.

Because the mean maximum for the month is 33.3 C, a single “average” number hides this spread. When planning a trip for late March, think of April-like afternoons rather than spring.

The driest air of the year begins

March is when Kota’s air becomes very dry. Relative humidity averages 38 percent at 08:30 IST and only 19 percent at 17:30 IST, and falls further in April. Dry air has two effects:

• Heat feels more bearable than the thermometer suggests, because sweat evaporates quickly.
• Dehydration creeps up for the same reason. People often do not notice how much water they are losing.

Carry water, drink before you are thirsty, and use lip balm and moisturiser. Our Kota humidity guide explains why dry heat and humid heat feel so different.

Rain, thunder and hail

March is one of the driest months in Kota: 2.7 mm of rain on 0.6 rainy days in a normal year. Most Marches have no meaningful rain at all. When a western disturbance does reach the region, it can bring a short thunderstorm, gusty wind and, now and then, hail. IMD’s tables give March 0.2 days with hail at Kota Airport, the highest of any month. That still means most Marches pass without any hail, but hail on a ripening rabi crop is a real concern for farmers in the Hadoti region.

If a thunderstorm is forecast, follow the advice in our Kota lightning safety guide, and check the district warning map on IMD’s website.

Holi and other March plans

Holi falls in March in most years. Weather-wise it usually comes on a dry, sunny, warm day. Some tips:

• Celebrate in the morning, when it is cooler; colour play in the midday sun is tiring.
• Drink water regularly, especially if you are outdoors for hours.
• Use sunscreen and cover your head; the March sun is already strong.
• Natural colours wash off more easily than synthetic ones, and dry skin is more likely to react to harsh colours.

March is also the season of board and university examinations. Students in hostels and PGs should make sure fans and coolers work before the late-March heat; our Kota weather for students guide has a checklist.

What to wear and pack

• Light, loose cotton clothes in pale colours.
• A cap or hat and sunglasses for midday.
• One light layer for early mornings in the first half of the month.
• Sunscreen, lip balm and a refillable water bottle.

Visiting Kota in March

The first half of March is a good time to visit. Riverfront walks, the Garh palace and museums, gardens and the Garadia Mahadev viewpoint are all comfortable in the morning and late afternoon. Later in the month, plan like a summer trip: start early, rest indoors from about 12 to 4, and go out again in the evening. Our itinerary by weather guide has sample plans for hot days.

Getting homes ready for summer

Late March is the right time to prepare for April and May, before demand peaks:

• Service desert coolers: replace the cooling pads, clean the tank and check the pump.
• Check that fans and air conditioners work, and clean filters.
• Fit curtains, blinds or reflective film on west-facing windows.
• Clean overhead water tanks; water stored on rooftops heats up quickly.
• Stock oral rehydration salts at home.

Watching for early heat

Very occasionally, heat arrives early and late March sees temperatures well above normal. IMD issues heatwave warnings when the maximum crosses its thresholds; our Kota heatwave guide explains how they work. Alerts also appear on the NDMA Sachet portal.

March by the hour and in the air

March is when the daily swing turns hot. IMD’s mean temperature is 23.9 C at 08:30 IST and 32.0 C at 17:30 IST, and afternoon humidity drops to 19 percent. The wet bulb temperature at 17:30 is only 17.9 C, about 14 degrees below the air temperature, so sweat dries almost at once and the heat feels dry rather than sticky; our Kota wet bulb temperature guide explains why that matters for comfort. Air pressure is falling steadily through the month as the plains heat up, from about 984 hPa in February mornings to 981.5 hPa in March; see Kota air pressure. For the best hours to be outdoors, see Kota weather by time of day.

Related guides

• Kota weather in February for the month before
• Kota weather in April for the month after
• Kota tourist season and festivals
• Kota weather by month