The following applies to Malaysia: Temperatures are high throughout the year and rainfall remains constant over the year at a high level. The daytime temperatures are between 22 and 32 degrees Celsius, depending on what altitude you are in the country. In mountainous regions, for example in the Cameron Islands , the daytime temperatures are around 20 degrees Celsius. At night, temperatures drop to 15 degrees Celsius. The Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Malaysia and is located on Borneo. Here the thermometer can also show the zero point and less. Like the temperatures and the amount of precipitation, the humidity in Malaysia is also consistently high.
There are two climatic zones in Malaysia. On the one hand, there is an equatorial climate in almost the entire country . It ensures moist air and high temperatures. There are only minor fluctuations in these values over the course of the year. On the other hand, there is a tropical monsoon climate in some regions . This climate in Malaysia stands for a short dry season and a rainy season with heavy rains. The tropical monsoon climate prevails in the north of West Malaysia on the borders with Thailand and in East Malaysia. In addition to these climatic differences, there are also differences within individual regions. The monsoons have a significant impact on the climate and bring rainy and dry seasons with, which are differently pronounced in the different regions. That’s why you get the climate and weather information about the West Malaysia region and East Malaysia on Borneo below. Since the differences relate primarily to precipitation, the focus is on this.
Climate and Weather in West Malaysia Peninsula
According to philosophynearby, the weather and climate in West Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula is heavily influenced by the northeast and southwest monsoons. The southwest monsoon is responsible for heavy rainfall in the southwest and west from May to September. This phase can be called the rainy season . This region of Malaysia with Penang, Langkawi and the capital Kuala Lumpur has the advantage that it is protected by the island of Sumatra. Sumatra catches a lot of rainfall and less rain gets to the west of the Malay Peninsula. As a result, the rainy season in the west of the peninsula is not as extreme as on the east coast. Do you want to go to the islands of Penang and Langkawi? Go on vacation: April, May, September and October are the months with the most rainy days. In Kuala Lumpur , also in the west, it is a little different with the rainy days. Here it is the months of March, April, October, November and December with the most precipitation. You can expect the least rainfall in the months of January, February, June, July and August.
In the east , the southwest monsoon has an impact and leads to heavy rainfall between October / November and January / February. Strong storms are not uncommon. No boats operate in these bad weather conditions. As a result, hotels and other accommodations on the islands are closed during this time. From mid-March, the weather conditions on the east coast are looking up again. The sun is shining, the rain is less visible and the weather is wonderful until mid-October.
In the south of West Malaysia there is a lot of rain throughout the year. The months with the most rainy days are November, December and January.
Climate table Kuala Lumpur (West)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Max. Temperature in ° C | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
| Min. Temperature in ° C | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Hours of sunshine per day | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Rainy days per month | 11 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 15 |
Climate table Penang (West)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Max. Temperature in ° C | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 |
| Min. Temperature in ° C | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
| Hours of sunshine per day | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Water temperature in ° C | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
| Rainy days per month | 5 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 9 |
Climate table Kuantan (East)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Max. Temperature in ° C | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 29 |
| Min. Temperature in ° C | 22nd | 22nd | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Hours of sunshine per day | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Water temperature in ° C | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 |
| Rainy days per month | 12 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 17 |
Climate and weather in East Malaysia – Borneo
The island of Borneo is generally considered to be very rainy . The Malay states of Sabah and Sarawak have less of a tropical equatorial climate than a tropical monsoon climate . The monsoons have a strong influence on the seasons. When the rainy season prevails, however, differs from region to region. May to December are the months when it usually rains even more. In other regions, the rainy season moves back further and takes place, for example, from November to January. On the west coast around Kuching, precipitation increases between October and May. The months of June, July and August are comparatively dry in all of East Malaysia. Exceptions prove the rule!
It gets interesting when you want to climb the highest mountain in Malaysia, the Kinabalu. A trekking tour takes you from a hot and humid tropical climate to a fresh mountain climate. For this you should definitely be equipped with warm clothes. Furthermore, there is more precipitation here because the rain clouds do not get over the mountains.
Climate table of Kuching (Borneo West)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Max. Temperature in ° C | 30 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 |
| Min. Temperature in ° C | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Hours of sunshine per day | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Water temperature in ° C | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| Rainy days per month | 22 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 22 |
Climate table Sandakan (Borneo Nor)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Max. Temperature in ° C | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 |
| Min. Temperature in ° C | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
| Hours of sunshine per day | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Water temperature in ° C | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
| Rainy days per month | 10 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 19 |
