Kota Kinabalu Weather, When to Go and Climate Information

(Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia)

Kota Kinabalu is tropical, with hot and humid weather year round and a climate dictated by tropical monsoons. It thus offers a wet environment, with rain falling most of the year. The trick is to travel here when it doesn't rain so much, which is in February, though March and April are also relatively dry.

There are two monsoons that hit this part of Malaysia - the South-West Monsoon and the North-East Monsoon. Although the monsoon seasons are when the most rainfall occurs, the wet weather doesn't end there, as the in-between periods also experience transitional monsoon rains. Humidity is a constant feature of Kota Kinabalu's climate, with only June and July seeing a small drop in humidity. Temperatures manage to hover around 30°C / 86°F across the year.

Seasonal Climate Variations / When to Go

There is very little temperature difference in weather throughout the year and it can rain at almost any time. However, the coolest time is between December and January, which is also the busiest (extending into February and March) and the driest time. Of note, January experiences roughly 12 days of rain.

It heats up considerably after this and April and May are the hottest months, with the latter part of May receiving the onset of the South-West Monsoon. June has the most rainfall during the year, although October traditionally has the most rainy days, leading up to the arrival of the North-East Monsoon in November. As the climate is humid throughout the year, air conditioning is a must for many travellers.

Kota Kinabalu Weather and Climate Chart (Averages)

	Maximum	Minimum
January	31°C / 88°F	23°C / 73°F
February	32°C / 90°F	24°C / 75°F
March	32°C / 90°F	24°C / 75°F
April	33°C / 91°F	24°C / 75°F
May	33°C / 91°F	24°C / 75°F
June	33°C / 91°F	24°C / 75°F
July	33°C / 91°F	24°C / 75°F
August	32°C / 90°F	34°C / 93°F
September	32°C / 90°F	24°C / 75°F
October	32°C / 90°F	24°C / 75°F
November	32°C / 90°F	24°C / 75°F
December	32°C / 90°F	24°C / 75°F