Ranau in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Ranau sees average daytime highs around 28°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 461 mm of rain over about 66 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels muggy.
Winter is Ranau's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Ranau's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 28°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 19°C
- Rainfall
- 461 mm
- 66 wet days
- Avg wind
- 4 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.3
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Ranau in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C.
A typical winter day in Ranau reaches about 28°C and drops to 19°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
How winter really feels in Ranau
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Ranau 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 | 27° / 19° | 170 | 22.3 | 11.7 | 4.4 |
| Feb | 28° / 19° | 118 | 17.8 | 11.8 | 4.7 |
| Mar | 29° / 19° | 109 | 17.8 | 12 | 4.3 |
| Apr | 30° / 20° | 98 | 17.1 | 12.1 | 3.9 |
| May | 30° / 20° | 135 | 22.2 | 12.3 | 3.4 |
| Jun | 30° / 19° | 130 | 20.5 | 12.3 | 3.6 |
| Jul | 30° / 19° | 111 | 18.8 | 12.3 | 3.9 |
| Aug | 30° / 19° | 115 | 19.1 | 12.2 | 3.8 |
| Sep | 30° / 19° | 118 | 20.2 | 12 | 3.6 |
| Oct | 29° / 19° | 172 | 24.2 | 11.9 | 3.5 |
| Nov | 29° / 19° | 163 | 24.7 | 11.7 | 3.5 |
| Dec | 28° / 19° | 173 | 25.4 | 11.7 | 3.8 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Ranau gets around 461 mm of rain over 66 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 4 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 4.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Ranau
In winter, Ranau overlaps its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Ranau sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Is winter a good time to visit Ranau?
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 reasonable time to visit Ranau for sightseeing.
What to pack for Ranau in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Ranau sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 19°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 66 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Ranau 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 57 km away) is warmest in June at about 30°C and coldest in February near 27°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) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 27 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 30 | Tropical |
| Jun | 30 | Tropical |
| Jul | 30 | Tropical |
| Aug | 30 | Tropical |
| Sep | 30 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 29 | Tropical |
UV index in Ranau in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Ranau peaks around March 17 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 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 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 15 | Extreme |
| May | 14 | Extreme |
| Jun | 13 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 14 | Extreme |
| Sep | 14 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 11 | Extreme |
Air quality in Ranau 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 Ranau is worst in September — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 10 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Good |
| Feb | 10 | Good |
| Mar | 11 | Good |
| Apr | 12 | Moderate |
| May | 13 | Moderate |
| Jun | 14 | Moderate |
| Jul | 15 | Moderate |
| Aug | 15 | Moderate |
| Sep | 16 | Moderate |
| Oct | 14 | Moderate |
| Nov | 11 | Good |
| Dec | 10 | Good |
Where is Ranau?
Ranau sits at 6.0°N, 116.7°E, 570 m above sea level, in Malaysia. The nearest listed city is Tambunan, 39 km away.
Topography around Ranau
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Ranau.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Ranau has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 494 m around an average of 615 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,761 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,023 m.
The land around Ranau is covered by trees (70%) within 3 km, trees (89%) within 16 km, and trees (86%) 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 Ranau (5.9538°, 116.6641°, elevation 570 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.