Sandakan weather in April

In April, Sandakan sees average daytime highs of 33°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 169 mm of rain across 21.9 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in April, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 hours at the start of April to 12 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, April is Sandakan's 1st-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sandakan's year-round climate.

Daytime high
33°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
24°
11th coldest
Rainfall
169 mm
21.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
6:04 AM – 6:12 PM
Cloud cover
71%
1st clearest
Wind
6 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.86 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.5
out of 10

Sandakan is city in Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia.

Founded
1658

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

Temperature in April

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°C through the month.

A typical April day in Sandakan reaches about 33°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 31°C and 35°C. Set against its neighbours, April runs about 1°C warmer than March and on par with May.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202530
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13224
23224
33224
43224
53324
63324
73324
83324
93324
103324
113324
123324
133324
143324
153324
163324
173324
183324
193324
203324
213324
223324
233324
243324
253324
263324
273324
283324
293324
303324

How April really feels in Sandakan

Once humidity and wind are folded in, April averages 30 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
30
30 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

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

Sandakan weather by month

How April compares with the rest of the year at a glance. April is the 2nd-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 23°28727.811.72.8
Feb30° / 23°21523.511.82.9
Mar32° / 24°19723.5122.8
Apr33° / 24°16921.912.12.5
May33° / 24°23726.912.32.1
Jun33° / 24°24426.312.32.2
Jul32° / 24°2222612.32.3
Aug33° / 24°22526.612.22.2
Sep33° / 24°24426.8122.1
Oct32° / 24°2822911.92.1
Nov32° / 24°27828.511.72.2
Dec31° / 24°28929.511.72.4

Cloud cover in April

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in April, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of April, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 69%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13169
23169
33169
43268
53367
63367
73466
83466
93466
103466
113466
123466
133466
143367
153268
163268
173268
183268
193070
203070
212971
222971
232971
242971
252971
262971
272971
282872
292773
302773

Chance of precipitation in April

Any precipitation

Sandakan gets around 169 mm of rain over 21.9 wet days in April, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 74% and peaks near 80% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
175
274
374
473
572
672
771
871
971
1071
1171
1272
1372
1473
1573
1674
1774
1875
1975
2075
2176
2276
2376
2477
2577
2678
2778
2879
2979
3080

Humidity in April

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, April lands in the miserable band about 79% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
12674
22674
32674
42674
52674
62674
72773
82773
92773
102773
112674
122674
132674
142575
152476
162476
172377
182278
192179
202080
211882
221783
231684
241585
251486
261387
271288
281189
291189
301090

Wind in April

Winds average 6 km/h in April.

Across April, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202530
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm

Sunrise & sunset in April

DaylightNight

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

Days grow by about 12 minutes over April. Sunrise moves from 6:11 AM to 5:59 AM, and sunset from 6:14 PM to 6:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.06:116:14
212.16:106:13
312.16:106:13
412.16:096:13
512.16:096:13
612.16:086:13
712.16:086:13
812.16:076:13
912.16:076:12
1012.16:076:12
1112.16:066:12
1212.16:066:12
1312.16:056:12
1412.16:056:12
1512.16:046:12
1612.16:046:12
1712.16:036:11
1812.16:036:11
1912.16:036:11
2012.16:026:11
2112.26:026:11
2212.26:026:11
2312.26:016:11
2412.26:016:11
2512.26:016:11
2612.26:006:11
2712.26:006:11
2812.26:006:11
2912.25:596:11
3012.25:596:11

Solar energy in April

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in April, about 5.86 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.37 kWh/m² to a high of 5.86 kWh/m² in April across the year — April's 5.86 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.9Bright
75.9Bright
85.9Bright
95.9Bright
105.9Bright
115.9Bright
125.9Bright
135.9Bright
145.9Bright
155.9Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.7Bright
285.7Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
Planning a trip in April

Hazard calendar for Sandakan

In seasonPeak

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

Sandakan 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 April a good time to visit Sandakan?

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

2.5
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
4.3
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

April is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Sandakan.

What to pack for Sandakan in April

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

In April, Sandakan sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 22 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Sandakan in April

The nearest coast averages about 30°C in April — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore 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
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct30Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Sandakan in April

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in April 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 Sandakan peaks around March 20 at about 14 (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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 20UV 14Dec 13UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Sandakan?

Sandakan sits at 5.8°N, 118.1°E, 10 m above sea level, in Malaysia. The nearest listed city is Lahad Datu, 94 km away.

MapunSempornaRanauTawauKudatTambunanSitangkai

Topography around Sandakan

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sandakan has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 239 m around an average of 22 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 244 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 533 m.

The land around Sandakan is covered by water (59%) and trees (26%) within 3 km, water (56%) and trees (21%) within 16 km, and water (46%) and trees (45%) within 80 km.

3 km
239 m
16 km
244 m
80 km
533 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
April weather nearby: Lahad Datu 94 km · Mapun 134 km · Semporna 161 km · Ranau 161 km · Tawau 179 km · Kudat 184 km · Tambunan 191 km · Sitangkai 193 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 Sandakan (5.8402°, 118.1179°, 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).