Balikpapan in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Balikpapan sees average daytime highs around 30°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 749 mm of rain over about 80 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels miserable.
Summer is Balikpapan's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. Balikpapan has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Balikpapan's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 30°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 25°C
- Rainfall
- 749 mm
- 80 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 2.8
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Balikpapan in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C.
A typical summer day in Balikpapan reaches about 30°C and drops to 25°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How summer really feels in Balikpapan
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 90 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in summer is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Balikpapan weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30° / 25° | 255 | 27.5 | 12.1 | 2.8 |
| Feb | 30° / 25° | 227 | 23.8 | 12 | 2.9 |
| Mar | 30° / 25° | 271 | 27.8 | 12 | 2.8 |
| Apr | 30° / 25° | 264 | 27.5 | 12 | 2.7 |
| May | 30° / 26° | 198 | 27.6 | 11.9 | 2.9 |
| Jun | 30° / 25° | 172 | 24.9 | 11.9 | 3.2 |
| Jul | 29° / 25° | 142 | 22.4 | 11.9 | 3.7 |
| Aug | 29° / 25° | 101 | 17.9 | 12 | 4.2 |
| Sep | 30° / 25° | 109 | 17 | 12 | 4.1 |
| Oct | 30° / 25° | 158 | 22.3 | 12 | 3.4 |
| Nov | 30° / 25° | 218 | 27.5 | 12.1 | 2.7 |
| Dec | 30° / 25° | 268 | 28.8 | 12.1 | 2.6 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Balikpapan gets around 749 mm of rain over 80 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels miserable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 6 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 06 min in early December to 12 hours by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 4.7 kWh/m².
Is summer a good time to visit Balikpapan?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Balikpapan.
What to pack for Balikpapan in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Balikpapan sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 80 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Balikpapan in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 29°C across summer — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 13 km away) is warmest in May at about 30°C and coldest in August near 28°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Comfort | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | Tropical |
| Feb | 29 | Tropical |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 30 | Tropical |
| Jun | 29 | Tropical |
| Jul | 29 | Tropical |
| Aug | 28 | Tropical |
| Sep | 29 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 29 | Tropical |
UV index in Balikpapan in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Balikpapan peaks around February 22 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 10 at about 11 (extreme).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Air quality in Balikpapan in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Balikpapan is worst in October — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (March, 11 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 18 | 21 | 12 | 11 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 11 | Good |
| Mar | 11 | Good |
| Apr | 11 | Good |
| May | 11 | Good |
| Jun | 11 | Good |
| Jul | 12 | Good |
| Aug | 13 | Moderate |
| Sep | 18 | Moderate |
| Oct | 21 | Moderate |
| Nov | 12 | Moderate |
| Dec | 11 | Good |
Where is Balikpapan?
Balikpapan sits at 1.3°S, 116.8°E, 67 m above sea level, in Indonesia. The nearest listed city is Loa Janan, 82 km away.
Topography around Balikpapan
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Balikpapan.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Balikpapan has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 97 m around an average of 17 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 123 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,262 m.
The land around Balikpapan is covered by artificial surfaces (41%) and water (39%) within 3 km, water (50%) and trees (31%) within 16 km, and trees (54%) and water (40%) within 80 km.
Indonesia travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type C / F
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 29% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $5,060
- 2025
- Happiness
- 5.6 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 30%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 0.3
- per 100k, 2022
- Road deaths
- 11.3
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 471
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Balikpapan (-1.2675°, 116.8289°, elevation 67 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.