Kota Kinabalu weather in October
Temperature, sea and sunshine in October: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in October
Fair
Best time to visit: November – March
What is the weather like in Kota Kinabalu in October?
In October, Kota Kinabalu is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 24 °C. The sea averages 29.6 °C – almost as warm as a bath. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 25 days, totalling 224 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Kota Kinabalu.
October compared
How the weather changes from September to November. Tap a month to open it.
| SeptemberSep | OctoberOct | NovemberNov | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 45 | 48 | 49 |
| Day | 29° | 29° | 28° |
| Night | 24° | 24° | 24° |
| Sea | 30° | 30° | 29° |
| Sun | 6 h | 5 h | 5 h |
| Rain days | 19 | 25 | 26 |
More details for October
- Daylight
- 12 h 0 min06:01 – 18:01
- UV index
- 13 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 31 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 14 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 86 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 3 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+8Asia/Kuching
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %81 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %35 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %0 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Insect repellent
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Kota Kinabalu in October: quick answers
Is Kota Kinabalu hot in October?
Yes. In October, Kota Kinabalu is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C and nights stay around 24 °C. On about 3 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more.
Can you swim in Kota Kinabalu in October?
Yes. In October the sea averages 29.6 °C – almost as warm as a bath.
Does it rain much in Kota Kinabalu in October?
It rains often – on about 25 days, adding up to 224 mm.
Kota Kinabalu month by month
The whole year in Kota KinabaluAll destinations: MalaysiaWhere to go in OctoberSea temperature in October
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences