Semporna weather in December

In December, Semporna sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 224 mm of rain across 27.4 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in December, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 48 min at the start of December to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Semporna's 12th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Semporna's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
10th warmest
Overnight low
25°
5th coldest
Rainfall
224 mm
27.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:09 AM – 5:54 PM
Cloud cover
83%
12th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
4.79 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.0
out of 10

Semporna is human settlement in Malaysia.

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical December day in Semporna reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13025
23025
33025
43025
53025
63025
73025
83025
93025
103025
113025
123025
133025
143025
153025
163025
173025
183024
193024
203024
213024
223024
233024
243024
253024
263024
273024
283024
293024
303024
313024

How December really feels in Semporna

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

Semporna weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 24°20522.911.83.5
Feb30° / 24°1461911.93.7
Mar30° / 25°16721.1123.5
Apr31° / 25°17323.512.13.1
May31° / 25°2292812.22.8
Jun30° / 25°22226.612.32.9
Jul30° / 25°19325.912.23.1
Aug30° / 25°16624.812.13.2
Sep30° / 25°17924.9123.0
Oct30° / 25°24028.311.92.8
Nov30° / 25°22327.611.82.8
Dec30° / 25°22427.411.73.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 85%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11585
21585
31585
41585
51486
61486
71486
81486
91684
101684
111684
121684
131684
141684
151585
161585
171585
181585
191486
201486
211486
221387
231387
241387
251387
261387
271387
281387
291486
301486
311585

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Semporna gets around 224 mm of rain over 27.4 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 88% and peaks near 91% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
189
289
389
489
588
688
788
888
989
1089
1189
1289
1390
1490
1590
1690
1791
1891
1990
2090
2190
2290
2389
2489
2588
2687
2786
2885
2985
3084
3183

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the miserable band about 66% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
102278
202377
302377
402476
502575
602575
702674
802674
902773
1002773
1102872
1202872
1302971
1403070
1503169
1603268
1703367
1803466
1903565
2003664
2103862
2203961
2304060
2404159
2504258
2614455
2714554
2814752
2914851
3015049
3115148

Wind in December

Winds average 8 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 min at the start of December to 11 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:03 AM to 6:16 AM, and sunset from 5:48 PM to 6:01 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.86:035:48
211.86:035:48
311.86:035:49
411.86:045:49
511.86:045:49
611.86:055:50
711.76:055:50
811.76:065:51
911.76:065:51
1011.76:075:51
1111.76:075:52
1211.76:085:52
1311.76:085:53
1411.76:095:53
1511.76:095:54
1611.76:095:54
1711.76:105:54
1811.76:105:55
1911.76:115:55
2011.76:115:56
2111.76:125:56
2211.76:125:57
2311.76:135:57
2411.76:135:58
2511.76:145:58
2611.76:145:59
2711.76:155:59
2811.76:156:00
2911.76:166:00
3011.76:166:01
3111.76:166:01

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.79 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.79 kWh/m² to a high of 5.82 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 4.79 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.8Bright
64.8Bright
74.8Bright
84.8Bright
94.8Bright
104.8Bright
114.8Bright
124.8Bright
134.8Bright
144.8Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.8Bright
204.8Bright
214.8Bright
224.8Bright
234.8Bright
244.8Bright
254.8Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.8Bright
304.8Bright
314.8Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Semporna

In seasonPeak

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

Semporna 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 December a good time to visit Semporna?

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

3.0
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
4.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Semporna.

What to pack for Semporna in December

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

In December, Semporna sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 27 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Semporna in December

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in December — 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
Apr29Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Semporna in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Semporna peaks around March 18 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 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 18UV 15Dec 14UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May14Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Semporna in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Semporna is worst in September — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (January, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1715 µg/m³Jan 18 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr10Good
May9Good
Jun9Good
Jul10Good
Aug13Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Semporna?

Semporna sits at 4.5°N, 118.6°E, 7 m above sea level, in Malaysia. The nearest listed city is Lahad Datu, 68 km away.

BongaoSandakanTarakanTanjung Selor

Topography around Semporna

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Semporna has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 19 m around an average of 3 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 366 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,262 m.

The land around Semporna is covered by water (47%) within 3 km, water (63%) and trees (23%) within 16 km, and water (67%) and trees (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
19 m
16 km
366 m
80 km
1,262 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
December weather nearby: Lahad Datu 68 km · Tawau 84 km · Sitangkai 89 km · Nunukan 113 km · Bongao 142 km · Sandakan 161 km · Tarakan 172 km · Tanjung Selor 229 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 Semporna (4.4818°, 118.6112°, 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. 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).