Kanowit weather in May

In May, Kanowit sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 209 mm of rain across 25.6 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 06 min at the start of May to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Kanowit's 4th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kanowit's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
1st warmest
Overnight low
24°
12th coldest
Rainfall
209 mm
25.6 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
6:25 AM – 6:30 PM
Cloud cover
81%
4th clearest
Wind
4 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
4.69 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.8
out of 10

Kanowit is human settlement in Malaysia.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month.

A typical May day in Kanowit reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13124
23124
33124
43124
53124
63124
73124
83124
93124
103124
113124
123124
133124
143124
153124
163124
173124
183124
193124
203124
213124
223124
233124
243124
253124
263124
273124
283124
293124
303124
313124

How May really feels in Kanowit

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 31 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Kanowit weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 1st-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 23°29926.811.93.0
Feb30° / 23°24322.711.93.1
Mar31° / 23°23025.7122.8
Apr31° / 23°23326.8122.6
May31° / 24°20925.612.12.8
Jun31° / 23°17021.612.13.1
Jul31° / 23°16920.512.13.3
Aug31° / 23°19021.512.13.2
Sep31° / 23°24024.4122.9
Oct30° / 23°26227.8122.7
Nov30° / 23°27828.211.92.6
Dec30° / 23°29528.111.92.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 83%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11189
21288
31288
41387
51387
61486
71585
81585
91585
101684
111684
121882
131981
141981
151981
161981
172080
182080
192080
202080
212080
221981
231981
241981
251981
261981
271882
281882
291882
301783
311783

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kanowit gets around 209 mm of rain over 25.6 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 82% and peaks near 89% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
189
289
389
488
587
686
786
885
984
1083
1182
1281
1380
1480
1579
1679
1778
1878
1978
2079
2179
2279
2380
2481
2581
2682
2782
2882
2982
3083
3182

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels miserable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the miserable band about 78% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11981
21981
32080
42080
52080
62179
72179
82179
92179
102179
112179
122179
132179
142179
152179
162179
172179
182179
192179
202179
212278
222278
232377
242377
252476
262476
272575
282575
292674
302674
312674

Wind in May

Winds average 4 km/h in May, the calmest month.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 4 km/h on the calmest days to 4 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 06 min at the start of May to 12 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 0 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:26 AM to 6:25 AM, and sunset from 6:31 PM to 6:32 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.16:266:31
212.16:266:31
312.16:266:31
412.16:266:31
512.16:266:30
612.16:266:30
712.16:256:30
812.16:256:30
912.16:256:30
1012.16:256:30
1112.16:256:30
1212.16:256:30
1312.16:256:30
1412.16:256:30
1512.16:256:30
1612.16:256:30
1712.16:256:31
1812.16:256:31
1912.16:256:31
2012.16:256:31
2112.16:256:31
2212.16:256:31
2312.16:256:31
2412.16:256:31
2512.16:256:31
2612.16:256:31
2712.16:256:32
2812.16:256:32
2912.16:256:32
3012.16:256:32
3112.16:256:32

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.69 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.94 kWh/m² to a high of 5 kWh/m² in August across the year — May's 4.69 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.6Bright
24.6Bright
34.6Bright
44.6Bright
54.6Bright
64.6Bright
74.7Bright
84.7Bright
94.7Bright
104.7Bright
114.7Bright
124.7Bright
134.7Bright
144.7Bright
154.7Bright
164.7Bright
174.7Bright
184.7Bright
194.7Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.7Bright
234.7Bright
244.7Bright
254.7Bright
264.7Bright
274.7Bright
284.6Bright
294.6Bright
304.6Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Kanowit

In seasonPeak

In May, Kanowit sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Kanowit sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Pacific typhoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Kanowit?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

2.8
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
4.1
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Kanowit.

What to pack for Kanowit in May

From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In May, Kanowit sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 26 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Kanowit in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks 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 Kanowit peaks around March 15 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 14 at about 11 (extreme).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 15UV 15Jul 14UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May14Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct14Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Kanowit in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Kanowit is worst in September — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1518 µg/m³Dec 148 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar11Good
Apr10Good
May10Good
Jun10Good
Jul12Good
Aug14Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kanowit?

Kanowit sits at 2.1°N, 112.2°E, 16 m above sea level, in Malaysia. The nearest listed city is Sibu Jaya, 25 km away.

Topography around Kanowit

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Kanowit.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kanowit has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 83 m around an average of 17 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 241 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,262 m.

The land around Kanowit is covered by trees (85%) within 3 km, trees (96%) within 16 km, and trees (97%) within 80 km.

3 km
83 m
16 km
241 m
80 km
1,262 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
May weather nearby: Sibu Jaya 25 km · Julau 28 km · Sibu 43 km · Selangau 51 km · Pakan 57 km · Maradong 59 km · Dalat 63 km · Sarikei 70 km

Malaysia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / G / M
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 32% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$13,125
2025
Happiness
6.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
95%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
22.5
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 581
Religion
Muslim 64%Buddhist 19%Christian 9%Hindu 6%

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 Kanowit (2.1°, 112.15°, elevation 16 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).