Malaysia
Kota Kinabalu in January: weather, sea & travel advice
This month's data profile
Rain shapes the decision
Kota Kinabalu in January is climatically well suited to beach holidays and family holidays. The average daily high is around 27 °C, and the sea is about 28 °C. With about 19 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
64/100 · #3
Warmth
#12
Dryness
#4
Sun
#11
Sea warmth
#10
Published best categories: Overall, Beach, City break, Family
Kota Kinabalu · JanuaryPhoto: Stefan Fussan · CC BY-SA 3.0Climate facts
- Average high
- 27 °C
- Average low
- 22 °C
- Sea
- 28 °C
- Rainy days (est.)
- 19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 27 | 23 | 24 | 276 | 5.2 | 87 | 1.6 | 29 | 59 |
| January (selected) | 27 | 22 | 19 | 191 | 5.4 | 87 | 1.7 | 28 | 64 |
| February | 27 | 22 | 12 | 110 | 6.3 | 87 | 1.7 | 27 | 75 |
How do the previous and next months compare?
Baseline: January (64/100)
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | -5 | +0.2 °C | +0.7 °C | +5.7 | +84.8 mm | -0.2 h | -0.3 % | -0.2 m/s | +1.2 °C |
| February | +11 | +0.3 °C | -0.3 °C | -6.4 | -81.1 mm | +0.9 h | -0.5 % | ±0 m/s | -0.7 °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 January?
The average daily high is around 27 °C, with an average daily low of about 22 °C.
Can you swim in Kota Kinabalu in January?
The sea is about 28 °C (very warm).
Does it rain a lot in Kota Kinabalu in January?
The curated estimate is about 19 rainy days per month, not a directly measured long-term average. Total precipitation averages around 191 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. January is one of them.