Sabah weather in January
Are you planning a trip to Sabah in January and wondering what kind of weather to expect? This page has all the details you need.
What is the weather like in Sabah in January?
Sabah is a region in Malaysia. January in Sabah generally has temperatures that range from warm to very warm, with heavy precipitation.
Based on our climate data spanning from 1990-2020, the average maximum temperature is warm in Ranau at 28°C to very warm in Bilit at 31°C. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 23°C in Bilit and 19°C in Ranau.
In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From heavy rainfall in Gaya Island with an average of 168 mm to heavy rainfall in Sepilok with 304 mm. Kota Kinabalu enjoys a balanced 188 hours of sunlight. Ensuring it's neither too overcast nor too sunny.
For specific regional insights in Sabah for January, refer to the map provided below. For an in-depth overview of the yearly weather conditions, do visit our Sabah climate page.
Where to go in Sabah in January
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Popular destinations in Sabah
What is the weather like in January for the 5 most popular destinations in Sabah?
Average weather in Kota Kinabalu
In January Kota Kinabalu generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 29°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 24°C and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.
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Average weather in Sandakan
In January Sandakan generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 31°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 23°C and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Average weather in Ranau
In January Ranau generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 28°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 19°C and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.
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Average weather in Bilit
In January Bilit generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 31°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 23°C and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Average weather in Sepilok
In January Sepilok generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 30°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 24°C and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in Sabah, in Malaysia.
Is January the best time to visit Sabah?
Given the typically unpleasant weather conditions in Kota Kinabalu, January may not be the ideal time to visit Sabah.
Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in February offering mostly pleasant weather in Kota Kinabalu. In contrast, May, June, September, October and November tend to have poor weather conditions.
Interested in more climate information?
We have much more information about the climate in Sabah.
Interested in the weather conditions in a specific month? Select the month below.
Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to Malaysia? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Malaysia.
Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal climate conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.