This report describes the typical weather at the Queen Beatrix International Airport (Oranjestad, Aruba) weather station over the course of an average March. It is based on the historical records from 1974 to 2012. Earlier records are either unavailable or unreliable.
Oranjestad has a hot desert climate. The area within 25 mi of this station is covered by oceans and seas (95%) and grasslands (2%).
The month of March is characterized by essentially constant daily high temperatures, with daily highs around 87°F throughout the month, exceeding 89°F or dropping below 84°F only one day in ten.
Over the course of March, the length of the day is essentially constant. The shortest day of the month is March 2 with 11:54 hours of daylight; the longest day is March 31 with 12:15 hours of daylight.
The earliest sunrise is at 6:37am on March 31; the latest sunset is at 6:52pm on March 31; the latest sunrise is at 6:55am on March 1; the earliest sunset is at 6:49pm on March 2.
Daylight savings time (DST) is not observed in 2012.
The median cloud cover ranges from 35% (mostly clear) to 42% (partly cloudy). The trend is for the sky to be becoming cloudier with the median cloud cover increasing by 7% from the start to the end of the month.
On March 16, a representative day, the sky is clear or mostly clear 43% of the time, partly cloudy 27% of the time, and mostly cloudy or overcast 8% of the time.
The probability that precipitation will be observed at this location varies throughout the month. Precipitation is most likely around March 1, occurring in 25% of days. Precipitation is least likely around March 31, occurring in 19% of days.
Throughout March, the most common forms of precipitation are moderate rain and light rain.
Moderate rain is the most severe precipitation observed during 84% of those days with precipitation. It is most likely around March 1, when it is observed during 21% of all days.
Light rain is the most severe precipitation observed during 13% of those days with precipitation. It is most likely around March 1, when it is observed during 3% of all days.
Either snow is exceptionally unlikely to fall at this location in March or this station does not reliably report precipitation types.
The relative humidity typically ranges from 62% (mildly humid) to 85% (very humid) over the course of a typical March, rarely dropping below 55% (mildly humid), or exceeding 92% (very humid).
The air is driest around March 13, at which time the relative humidity drops below 66% (mildly humid) three days out of four; it is most humid around March 28, rising above 83% (humid) three days out of four.
Dew point is often a better measure of how comfortable a person will find the weather than relative humidity because it more directly relates to whether perspiration will evaporate from the skin, thereby cooling the body. Lower dew points feel drier and higher dew points feel more humid.
Over the course of a typical March, the dew point typically varies from 70°F (muggy) to 75°F (very muggy) and is rarely below 67°F (muggy) or above 78°F (oppressive).
Over the course of March typical wind speeds vary from 13 mph to 23 mph (moderate breeze to fresh breeze), rarely exceeding 28 mph (strong breeze).
The highest average wind speed of 18 mph (moderate breeze) occurs around March 1, at which time the average daily maximum wind speed is 23 mph (fresh breeze).
The lowest average wind speed of 17 mph (moderate breeze) occurs around March 21, at which time the average daily maximum wind speed is 23 mph (fresh breeze).