Kota Kinabalu in August: seriously hot,rain on every second day
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia · Records from 2006 to 2025. Not a forecast.
Mean high32°Hottest day 35.2° (2009)
Mean low24°Coldest night 22.4° (2007)
Rain days16 days6-25 by year
Rainfall345mmDaylight 12.4 → 12.2 h
Kota Kinabalu's 12 months iBest: February and March
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Trip typesBeach Poorfrequent rainSightseeing on foot Poorhot, frequent rain and muggy
Humidity80%31 muggy days
Clear days0 days22 overcast days
Mean wind9 km/hRarely windy
Sea temperature30.3°30.2-30.5° by year (last 6)
Sunrise / sunset (15th)06:11 / 18:30Daylight 12.4 → 12.2 h
Kota Kinabalu in August
Malaysia's Independence Day, Merdeka, is a public holiday on 31 August. Rainy days are frequent, so take an umbrella to outdoor plans such as the night market. Around the holiday, domestic travellers can make places busier.
August brought serious heat to Kota Kinabalu, 32°C on a typical afternoon and 24°C overnight. Early mornings were the best time to be outside. About 16 days a month saw rain, enough that a wet-weather plan was worth having. Year to year it swung widely, from 6 rain days in 2012 to 25 in 2014.
Highs topped 30°C on 30 days of the month on average. Mixing in indoor stops at midday made sense. Wet days did not mess around: about 22 mm each, the kind of rain that drives you into a doorway.
Typhoonsi No tropical storm passed within 300 km in this month over the last 20 years. Typhoons: December and January
Over the past 20 years August averaged 16 rain days (1 mm or more) out of 31. Individual years ran from 6 in the driest to 25 in the wettest.
What should I wear in Kota Kinabalu in August?
Days averaged 32°C and nights 24°C. Pack an umbrella, sandals that can get wet, T-shirts, sunscreen plus a hat, a swimsuit, and insect repellent.
Can you swim in Kota Kinabalu in August?
Sea surface temperature averaged 30.3°C in August, warm enough to stay in for a long swim. Year to year it ranged 30.2-30.5°C. Check local flags for waves and jellyfish on the day.
Is August a good time to visit Kota Kinabalu?
On warmth and rain days alone, Kota Kinabalu's easiest months were February and March. August ranked 10 of 12.
Is Kota Kinabalu humid in August?
Mean relative humidity was 80%, with about 31 muggy days (dew point of 20°C or more) in the month.