Kota Kinabalu Weather and Climate: A Comprehensive Guide
Kota Kinabalu has pretty similar weather over the course of the year.
It is also known for its large amounts of rainfall.
Let's now guide you through the climate details for a complete overview.
Average maximum day and minimum night temperature
With minimal seasonal shifts, Kota Kinabalu experiences a constant climate year-round. Typically, average maximum daytime temperatures range from a very warm 31°C in May to a comfortable 29°C in the coolest month, February.
Nights are cooler, with lows often dropping to around 24°C during the colder months. Check out our detailed temperature page for more information.Temperature ranges by month
Precipitation and rainy days
Kota Kinabalu has a notably wet climate with abundant precipitation, recording 2495 mm of rainfall per year. Kota Kinabalu offers a pleasant mix of wetter and slightly drier months. The difference in precipitation between October (281 mm) and March (147 mm) is not too significant, making the climate enjoyable for visitors and residents alike.The mean monthly precipitation over the year, including rain, hail and snow
The average number of days each month with precipitation
Sunshine over the year
Kota Kinabalu offers a pleasant mix of sunny and slightly overcast days. The difference in sunshine hours between April (8.2 hours daily) and September (6.0 hours daily) provides a bit of variety for visitors and residents. Visit our detailed sunshine hours page for more information.Monthly hours of sunshine
Daily hours of sunshine
Average humidity
The city experiences its highest humidity in November, reaching 83%. In August, the humidity drops to its lowest level at 78%. Explore our detailed page on humidity levels for further details.
Relative humidity over the year
Average wind speed
The mean wind speed over the year ranges from 1 m/s in January, February, March, April, May and December to 2 m/s in June, July, August, September, October and November.
The mean monthly wind speed over the year (meters per second)
broken clouds and thunder broken clouds and no rain broken clouds and thunderForecast for Kota Kinabalu
3 m/s
3 m/s
2 m/s
The best time of year to visit Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia
Kota Kinabalu has high temperatures year round ranging between 28°C and 30°C.The average rainfall figures in Kota Kinabalu are quite high. Throughout the year, you have a chance of prolonged precipitation. So no matter what time of year you go, you will always have to deal with a high number of rainy days. This makes it more challenging to point out the best time of year to visit. If we needed to pick one month we would choose April which is the sunniest month of the year.
Other facts from our historical weather data:
May has an average maximum temperature of 31°C and is the hottest month of the year.
The coolest month is February with an average maximum temperature of 29°C.
October tops the wettest month list with 281 mm of rainfall.
March is the driest month with 147 mm of precipitation.
April is the sunniest month with an average of 247 hours of sunshine.
No idea where to travel to this year? We have a tool that recommends destinations based on your ideal conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.
