Malaysia
Kota Kinabalu in December: weather, sea & travel advice
This month's data profile
Rain shapes the decision
Kota Kinabalu in December is climatically well suited to beach holidays. The average daily high is around 27 °C, and the sea is about 29 °C. With about 24 rainy days it is very wet.
Historical monthly averages, not a weather forecast. Individual days and years can differ substantially.
Rank among 12 monthly averages
59/100 · #5
Warmth
#9
Dryness
#10
Sun
#12
Sea warmth
#9
Published best categories: none
Kota Kinabalu · DecemberPhoto: Stefan Fussan · CC BY-SA 3.0Climate facts
- Average high
- 27 °C
- Average low
- 23 °C
- Sea
- 29 °C
- Rainy days (est.)
- 24 rainy days (est.)
- Sun (est.)
- 5 h/day
- Humidity
- 87 %
Climate evidence with direct month comparison
The highlighted row is the selected month. Precipitation total and rainy days are separate monthly averages.
| Month | Avg high °C | Avg low °C | Rainy days (est.) | Precipitation mm | Sun h/day (est.) | Humidity % | Wind m/s | Sea °C | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | 27 | 23 | 26 | 287 | 5.6 | 87 | 1.5 | 29 | 58 |
| December (selected) | 27 | 23 | 24 | 276 | 5.2 | 87 | 1.6 | 29 | 59 |
| January | 27 | 22 | 19 | 191 | 5.4 | 87 | 1.7 | 28 | 64 |
How do the previous and next months compare?
Baseline: December (59/100)
Positive and negative values show the change from the selected month.
| Score Δ | Average high Δ | Average low Δ | Rainy days Δ | Rain Δ | Sun Δ | Humidity Δ | Wind Δ | Sea Δ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | -1 | +0.1 °C | +0.2 °C | +1.3 | +11.8 mm | +0.4 h | -0.5 % | -0.1 m/s | +0.4 °C |
| January | +5 | -0.2 °C | -0.7 °C | -5.7 | -84.8 mm | +0.2 h | +0.3 % | +0.2 m/s | -1.2 °C |
All twelve months in context
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Where to stay in Kota Kinabalu
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Useful next decisions
Frequently asked questions
How warm is Kota Kinabalu in December?
The average daily high is around 27 °C, with an average daily low of about 23 °C.
Can you swim in Kota Kinabalu in December?
The sea is about 29 °C (very warm).
Does it rain a lot in Kota Kinabalu in December?
The curated estimate is about 24 rainy days per month, not a directly measured long-term average. Total precipitation averages around 276 mm for the month. A rainy day does not mean all-day rain.
When is the best time to visit Kota Kinabalu?
By the climate score, January, February, March and April are the strongest months for Kota Kinabalu. For a beach trip: January, February, March and April. December is not among them.