Kota Bharu weather in January

In January, Kota Bharu sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 174 mm of rain across 20.2 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of January to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Kota Bharu's 4th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kota Bharu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
11th warmest
Overnight low
23°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
174 mm
20.2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
7:30 AM – 7:11 PM
Cloud cover
78%
4th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
4.66 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.1
out of 10

Kota Bharu is state capital of Kelantan, Malaysia.

Density
4,920/km²
people per km²
Founded
1844

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

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.

A typical January day in Kota Bharu reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 1°C cooler than February.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12924
22924
32924
42924
52924
62924
72924
82924
92924
102923
112923
122923
132923
142923
152923
162923
172923
182923
192923
202923
212923
222923
232923
242923
252923
262923
272923
282923
292923
302923
312923

How January really feels in Kota Bharu

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January 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 January is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Kota Bharu weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 11th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 23°17420.211.74.1
Feb30° / 23°8113.311.84.5
Mar31° / 24°11415.7123.8
Apr32° / 25°11818.612.12.9
May33° / 25°1782612.32.3
Jun32° / 25°1832512.32.4
Jul32° / 25°18525.312.32.5
Aug32° / 25°2132612.22.4
Sep32° / 25°24427.6122.3
Oct31° / 25°31029.111.92.4
Nov30° / 24°3842811.72.8
Dec29° / 24°4122611.73.4

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 78%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11585
21684
31783
41783
51882
61981
71981
82179
92179
102278
112278
122278
132278
142377
152377
162377
172377
182575
192575
202575
212476
222476
232476
242575
252575
262575
272575
282674
292674
302674
312773

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Kota Bharu gets around 174 mm of rain over 20.2 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 65% and peaks near 78% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
178
277
376
475
574
673
772
870
969
1068
1167
1266
1365
1464
1563
1663
1762
1861
1961
2061
2160
2260
2360
2460
2560
2660
2759
2859
2958
3057
3157

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the oppressive band about 75% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
127523
227523
327523
427523
527622
627622
727622
827622
927622
1027622
1137621
1237621
1337621
1437621
1547620
1647620
1747620
1857520
1957520
2057520
2167420
2267420
2367321
2467321
2567321
2667321
2767321
2867420
2967420
3067420
3167519

Wind in January

Winds average 8 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min at the start of January to 11 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 0 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:25 AM to 7:32 AM, and sunset from 7:04 PM to 7:16 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.77:257:04
211.77:257:04
311.77:257:05
411.77:267:05
511.77:267:06
611.77:277:06
711.77:277:07
811.77:277:07
911.77:287:08
1011.77:287:08
1111.77:287:08
1211.77:297:09
1311.77:297:09
1411.77:297:10
1511.77:307:10
1611.77:307:11
1711.77:307:11
1811.77:307:12
1911.77:317:12
2011.77:317:12
2111.77:317:13
2211.77:317:13
2311.77:317:14
2411.77:327:14
2511.77:327:14
2611.77:327:15
2711.77:327:15
2811.77:327:15
2911.77:327:16
3011.77:327:16
3111.77:327:16

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 4.66 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.83 kWh/m² to a high of 6.3 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 4.66 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.1Bright
24.1Bright
34.2Bright
44.2Bright
54.3Bright
64.3Bright
74.3Bright
84.4Bright
94.4Bright
104.5Bright
114.5Bright
124.6Bright
134.6Bright
144.7Bright
154.7Bright
164.7Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.8Bright
204.8Bright
214.9Bright
224.9Bright
234.9Bright
244.9Bright
255.0Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Kota Bharu

In seasonPeak

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

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

Kota Bharu's rainy season runs August–December, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Kota Bharu?

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

4.1
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
5.2
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Kota Bharu for sightseeing.

What to pack for Kota Bharu in January

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

In January, Kota Bharu sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 20 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Kota Bharu in January

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 15 km away) is warmest in May at about 30°C and coldest in January near 28°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Kota Bharu in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kota Bharu peaks around February 21 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near November 22 at about 11 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeFeb 21UV 14Nov 22UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Kota Bharu in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Kota Bharu is worst in October — around 31 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateOct 930 µg/m³Feb 1223 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan24Moderate
Feb23Moderate
Mar25Moderate
Apr28Moderate
May28Moderate
Jun28Moderate
Jul30Moderate
Aug28Moderate
Sep30Moderate
Oct31Moderate
Nov26Moderate
Dec24Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Kota Bharu?

Kota Bharu sits at 6.1°N, 102.2°E, 10 m above sea level, in Malaysia. The nearest listed city is Wakaf Baharu, 5.0 km away.

Topography around Kota Bharu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kota Bharu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 24 m around an average of 8 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 110 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,340 m.

The land around Kota Bharu is covered by artificial surfaces (57%) and trees (28%) within 3 km, trees (38%) and water (23%) within 16 km, and trees (56%) and water (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
24 m
16 km
110 m
80 km
1,340 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
January weather nearby: Wakaf Baharu 5.0 km · Peringat 11 km · Kampong Kadok 14 km · Pasir Mas 14 km · Kampong Pangkal Kalong 23 km · Tak Bai 26 km · Su-ngai Kolok 32 km · Pasir Puteh 37 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 Kota Bharu (6.1236°, 102.2433°, elevation 10 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). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).