Lahad Datu in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Lahad Datu sees average daytime highs around 29°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 442 mm of rain over about 70 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the 3rd-wettest season.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Lahad Datu's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. Lahad Datu 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 Lahad Datu's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 29°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 24°C
- Rainfall
- 442 mm
- 70 wet days
- Avg wind
- 8 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.6
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Lahad Datu in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C.
A typical winter day in Lahad Datu reaches about 29°C and drops to 24°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Lahad Datu
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 85 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Lahad Datu weather by month
How the three winter 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 | 29° / 24° | 160 | 24 | 11.7 | 3.7 |
| Feb | 29° / 24° | 119 | 18.9 | 11.8 | 4.0 |
| Mar | 30° / 24° | 123 | 21 | 12 | 3.8 |
| Apr | 30° / 25° | 121 | 22 | 12.1 | 3.4 |
| May | 30° / 25° | 177 | 27.2 | 12.2 | 2.9 |
| Jun | 30° / 25° | 168 | 26.1 | 12.3 | 3.0 |
| Jul | 30° / 25° | 164 | 26.4 | 12.3 | 3.1 |
| Aug | 30° / 25° | 154 | 26.1 | 12.2 | 3.1 |
| Sep | 30° / 25° | 168 | 26 | 12 | 3.0 |
| Oct | 30° / 25° | 194 | 27.6 | 11.9 | 2.9 |
| Nov | 30° / 25° | 153 | 27.2 | 11.8 | 3.0 |
| Dec | 29° / 24° | 164 | 27.3 | 11.7 | 3.2 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Lahad Datu gets around 442 mm of rain over 70 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 8 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min in early December to 11 h 54 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.4 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Lahad Datu
In winter, Lahad Datu overlaps its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Lahad Datu sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Is winter a good time to visit Lahad Datu?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Lahad Datu.
What to pack for Lahad Datu in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Lahad Datu sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 70 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Lahad Datu in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 28°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 17 km away) is warmest in May at about 30°C and coldest in February 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) | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Comfort | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Tropical |
| Feb | 28 | Tropical |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 30 | Tropical |
| May | 30 | Tropical |
| Jun | 30 | Tropical |
| Jul | 29 | Tropical |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 30 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 29 | Tropical |
UV index in Lahad Datu in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages 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 Lahad Datu peaks around March 20 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 12 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) | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Extreme |
| Feb | 14 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 11 | Extreme |
Air quality in Lahad Datu in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Lahad Datu is worst in September — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.7× the cleanest month (December, 9 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) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 9 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Good |
| Feb | 9 | Good |
| Mar | 11 | Good |
| Apr | 11 | Good |
| May | 11 | Good |
| Jun | 11 | Good |
| Jul | 12 | Good |
| Aug | 14 | Moderate |
| Sep | 15 | Moderate |
| Oct | 13 | Moderate |
| Nov | 10 | Good |
| Dec | 9 | Good |
Where is Lahad Datu?
Lahad Datu sits at 5.0°N, 118.3°E, 7 m above sea level, in Malaysia. The nearest listed city is Semporna, 68 km away.
Topography around Lahad Datu
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Lahad Datu.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Lahad Datu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 73 m around an average of 14 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 450 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,262 m.
The land around Lahad Datu is covered by trees (32%) and water (32%) within 3 km, trees (58%) and water (34%) within 16 km, and trees (70%) and water (23%) within 80 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
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 Lahad Datu (5.023°, 118.329°, elevation 7 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.