By Meteorologist Joe Martucci
The clocks have turned forward an hour, the buds are on the trees and now, it’s time to pack up and get a glimpse of summer, away from New Jersey. It’s spring break season.
That may mean a cruise, with dreams of laying on the pool deck with a drink in hand. It may mean cheering on the Philadelphia Phillies at their Spring Training stadium (BayCare Ballpark) in Clearwater (or in my case, Sarasota for the Baltimore Orioles).
Or, for our college readers, it means a few days you’ll never forget on the beach with your friends, and perhaps your future spouse considering that 1.5 million United States college students travel for spring break annually, according to Michigan State University.
Count me out, though. The only spring break trip I ever took was north, to Boston, for St. Patrick’s Day.
On the occasions people tell me they were disappointed in their spring break experience, the weather was to blame: It wasn’t hot enough, it wasn’t dry enough and the water wasn’t comfortable enough.
So, if and when you decide to pack up and travel south for a spell in March, here’s a look at a few popular destinations and the climate they have to offer.
Criteria
For a spring break destination, I’ll assume that you’re looking for a place with average highs between 75 and 85 degrees. You’ll look for places that are largely rain free. Low humidity is a bonus. Mornings should be comfortable – mild enough to stroll around in nothing more than a light layer.
This is nearly the same criteria I use here at the Jersey Shore for my Shore Summer Weekend Weather Report Card. The data listed below is from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, unless otherwise specified.
Myrtle Beach, SC
“The Golf Capital of the World” is comfortable for golf, but don’t plan on pool or beach time here.
Afternoon highs in March rise from the low-60s to the upper-60s, on average, as the month goes on. You typically have mornings starting out in the 40s. So, it’s nice. There’s a 31% chance of some rain throughout the month, with a 7% chance of a ruin-your-outdoors-time, half inch of rain.
Myrtle Beach has a similar climate to New Jersey’s, so in March, expect a fair amount of cloudiness from large-scale storms, like nor’easters.
Panama City Beach, Fla.
A classic college spring break destination, Florida’s “Endless Summer” license plate doesn’t extend here. Temperatures are OK for hanging out on the sand. Morning lows start out 50-55 degrees, rising to 70-75 degrees, on average. That being said, there are days where highs will stay in the 60s, even 50s. A solid stretch of very warm weather is unlikely.
It is drier here, on average, than Myrtle Beach. There’s a 23% chance of rain on any given day in March. However, bigger soakers are more common here than Myrtle Beach.
Clearwater, Fla.
Now we’re getting to beach weather, and baseball weather, too. Average morning lows go from the mid-50s at the beginning of the month, to 60 degrees by the end of the month.
Daytime highs are regularly in the mid to upper-70s; 80s are a homerun at least a few times during the latter half of the month. The weather is nice for watching baseball, and for the sea, 60s occur with some regularity until March 22.
Rainfall occurs roughly 25% of days in March. Soaking rain over a half inch is uncommon, with a less-than-10% chance each day. Expect lots of sun this time of year.
Orlando, Fla.
Spring break with the little ones is extremely comfortable this time of year. Temperatures start out in the 50s during the morning and peak in the upper-70s to around 80 degrees on average. Plus, that swampy, muggy air is still weeks away.
March is still in the midst of dry season in Central Florida. Like Clearwater, there’s about a 25% chance of rain on any given day. Heavier rains, over a half inch, are uncommon.
South Florida/
Florida Keys
You can break out those “Endless Summer” Florida license plates here, surfboard in tow.
Both coasts in South Florida boast average high temperatures in the upper-70s to low-80s in March, rising as the month goes on. The same is true for the Florida Keys.
Mornings are great for early exercise, or your caffeine boost with friends and family. Lows start out in the low to mid-60s. Similar to Central Florida, most days are without sticky weather, too.
It’s even drier here than the rest of Florida’s Panhandle. Expect plenty of sunshine in this part of the Sunshine State. From Key Biscayne to Key West, there’s roughly a 20% chance of rain on any given day. Downpours are downright rare.
Roughly from Jupiter on the East Coast, to Ft. Myers on the West Coast on south is in the Tropical Köppen Climate Zone. That means there’s an average of 64.4 degrees or higher every month of the year, with significant precipitation (at times).
Punta Cana,
Dominican Republic
Our first international destination of the list, Punta Cana is located on the eastern tip of the island nation. It’s firmly in the tropics, meaning March is a beach paradise.
Morning temperatures start out in the upper-60s to low-70s, with balmy breezes blowing. Afternoon highs reach the mid-80s. It is humid, however it’s not quite the stifling humidity you’ll see later in the year.
They average seven days with wet weather in March, but soaking rain is rare before March 20. They become more common afterwards.
Cancun, Mexico
Perhaps the most notorious spring break spot in North America, Cancun brings the heat during March.
March temperatures in Cancun are similar to Punta Cana. Mornings start out around 70 degrees and rise to the low and mid-80s during the afternoon, on average, according to WeatherSpark.com. Highs in the 70s and lows in the 60s are common in March, but that’s still fine for time in the water.
Precipitation occurs three or four days a month, on average. Furthermore, there’s a dip in the number of soaking rains this time of year. It’s rare for long-lasting rain to occur. That being said, it is fairly humid.
The main difference between Cancun and Punta Cana is the clouds. Average days are cloudy, according to WeatherSpark.com.
Aruba
They say Aruba is “one happy island” and with its excellent March weather, it’s easy to see why. With dry conditions, not too much humidity and sunshine, there’s lots of time for the outdoors.
There’s just a 2-3 percent chance of rainfall on any given day during March, according to WeatherSpark. Cloud cover averages partly sunny during the month, too.
Temperatures start out in the very balmy upper-70s. Afternoon highs peak in the mid-80s. The humidity is high. However, the island breezes try to mix that out as much as possible.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to lay by the beaches, pools and bays for days, you need to be in South Florida, or farther south to enjoy these without worry. However, you can be in Clearwater watching the Phillies or in Orlando and get a stretch of comfortable shorts weather.
If you are wishing for warmer days but aren’t able to get away for spring break, have no fear; highs reach 75 degrees by March 31, on average, at Atlantic City International Airport, and April 26 at Sen. Frank S. Farley State Marina in Atlantic City.
