Average high temperature and rainfall for St. Lucia in March. © Scott S. Bateman

St. Lucia weather in March is good enough to make the month the most popular time of the year to visit this eastern Caribbean island.

St. Lucia has more than 300,000 overnight and 600,000 cruise visitors every year, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization. March is the most popular month of the year to visit St. Lucia for overnight visitors, the organization says.

Spring break often takes place in March for many schools. It is a good time to visit the Caribbean for people wanting to escape the final days of winter and to get away from classrooms. It also is the dry season for much of the Caribbean including St. Lucia.

Temperatures in March

The average high temperature for St. Lucia in March isf about 85 degrees Fahrenheit or 29 Celsius, according to the St. Lucia Meteorological Service. The average low is 74 degrees Fahrenheit or about 23 Celsius. The low occurs mostly at night.

Seawater temperatures hover between the highs and lows of the day. They are usually comfortable enough for swimming, although they may feel chilly some mornings, especially if trade winds are strong.

St. Lucia has steady temperatures for most of the year with average highs staying between 84 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit or about 30 Celsius. So March temperatures are slightly below the average but only three degrees below the high point.

Rainfall in March

The dry season for St. Lucia runs from January through May with an average rainfall of less than three inches a month, according to the St. Lucia Meteorological Service.

February through April have the lowest totals with an average of about two inches per month.

For comparison, rainfall averages about eight inches a month in September and October during the peak of the Caribbean hurricane season. It rains about 20 days each month during that time.

September and October are the least popular months to visit the island in large part because of the high risk of heavy rain, tropical storms and hurricanes.

On average, it rains about 14 days during March compared to 12 days in April, 14 in May and 15 in February.

• St. Lucia weather in January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December

Whether to Go in March

April has fewer days with rain, slightly warmer temperatures and about the same average rainfall. It is the best weather month to visit St. Lucia for those reasons.

But March is a close second place. Anyone planning a visit to the island either month will have the best chances for the entire year of getting good weather.