yearsofweather

Kota Kinabalu in December:
very hot, rain every other day

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia · Records from 2006 to 2025. Not a forecast.

Mean high32°Hottest day 33.7° (2015)
Mean low24°Coldest night 22.2° (2022)
Rain days15 days6-24 by year
Rainfall330mmDaylight 11.8 → 11.8 h
Kota Kinabalu's 12 months iBest: February and March
Trip types Beach Poorfrequent rainSightseeing on foot Poorhot, frequent rain and muggy
Humidity84%31 muggy days
Clear days0 days23 overcast days
Mean wind8 km/hRarely windy
Sea temperature29.6°29.4-29.9° by year (last 6)
Sunrise / sunset (15th)06:18 / 18:04Daylight 11.8 → 11.8 h

Kota Kinabalu in December

Rain eases a little from November but is still frequent. The northeast monsoon continues, so island tours can change with sea conditions; leave some slack. For sunsets, aim for days with thinner cloud.

Highs averaged 32°C and lows stayed at 24°C, so the heat hung on long after sunset. With 15 rain days on average, a wet day was rarely more than a few days away. Year to year it swung widely, from 6 rain days in 2009 to 24 in 2010.

30 days past 30°C made it a month for early starts and a long lunch indoors. Each rainy day brought about 22 mm, closer to downpours than drizzle.

Typhoons i

1 of the last 20 years had a tropical storm pass within 300 km this month.

  • Tembin (2017), 225 km away typhoon strength
11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 112

Date by date i

‹ November December 2026 January ›
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Week
1-5rain on 36% of days32° 24°
6-12rain on 58% of days32° 24°
13-19rain on 44% of days32° 24°
20-26rain on 51% of days32° 24°
27-31rain on 55% of days32° 24°

0-5/206-8/209-11/2012-20/20

1-5rain on 36% of days32° 24°
6-12rain on 58% of days32° 24°
13-19rain on 44% of days32° 24°
20-26rain on 51% of days32° 24°
27-31rain on 55% of days32° 24°
Tap another date to change

20061mm
20072mm
20081mm
2009none
201020mm
201113mm
2012none
20138mm
201411mm
201512mm
201621mm
2017none
20182mm
2019none
202011mm
2021none
20225mm
20237mm
20247mm
20253mm
Holidays in December (2026)
  • December 25 Christmas Day

1 Local public holiday or break (busier, pricier)

Your trip dates, the past 20 years

Trip dates ~

You can also click two dates on the axis. Hover a cell to see that day's rain.
Trip rain days Month rain days
2006
4 d 12 d
2007
4 d 14 d
2008
6 d 19 d
2009
0 d 6 d
2010
6 d 24 d
2011
2 d 18 d
2012
4 d 11 d
2013
2 d 21 d
2014
3 d 16 d
2015
2 d 7 d
2016
4 d 14 d
2017
6 d 22 d
2018
3 d 13 d
2019
7 d 15 d
2020
6 d 18 d
2021
5 d 14 d
2022
6 d 19 d
2023
3 d 11 d
2024
5 d 15 d
2025
3 d 16 d
Years with rain
Tap a date to start, tap another to end. Each cell is that date in one year.
'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
of 20
8
7
6
6
9
12
14
12
9
13
10
11
10
7
7
8
8
8
14
15
11
10
10
10
4
11
14
9
11
13
8
Rain days on trip
44606242324637656353

No rain1-9 mm10 mm or more Dates outside your trip are dimmed.

One row per year, one cell per day. 2009 had 6 rain days, 2010 had 24.

Kota Kinabalu through the year

MonthHighLowRain daysRainfallSea
January 31°24°12 days235mm 29°
FebruaryGood 32°24°8 days107mm 28°
MarchGood 32°24°8 days155mm 28°
April 33°25°12 days161mm 30°
May 33°25°14 days288mm 31°
June 33°24°14 days296mm 30°
July 33°24°15 days316mm 30°
August 32°24°16 days345mm 30°
September 32°24°15 days406mm 30°
October 32°24°19 days464mm 30°
November 32°24°17 days321mm 30°
December 32°24°15 days330mm 30°

Common questions

Does it rain a lot in Kota Kinabalu in December?

Over the past 20 years December averaged 15 rain days (1 mm or more) out of 31. Individual years ran from 6 in the driest to 24 in the wettest.

What should I wear in Kota Kinabalu in December?

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 December?

Sea surface temperature averaged 29.6°C in December, warm enough to stay in for a long swim. Year to year it ranged 29.4-29.9°C. Check local flags for waves and jellyfish on the day.

Is December a good time to visit Kota Kinabalu?

On warmth and rain days alone, Kota Kinabalu's easiest months were February and March. December ranked 5 of 12.

Is Kota Kinabalu humid in December?

Mean relative humidity was 84%, with about 31 muggy days (dew point of 20°C or more) in the month.