Sibu weather in May

In May, Sibu sees average daytime highs of 32°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 218 mm of rain across 25.8 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 32°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 06 min at the start of May to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Sibu's 4th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sibu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
32°
1st warmest
Overnight low
24°
12th coldest
Rainfall
218 mm
25.8 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
6:26 AM – 6:32 PM
Cloud cover
82%
4th clearest
Wind
4 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
4.78 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.6
out of 10

Sibu is town in Malaysia.

Density
24/km²
people per km²
Founded
1862

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 32°C through the month.

A typical May day in Sibu reaches about 32°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13224
23224
33224
43224
53224
63224
73224
83224
93224
103224
113224
123224
133224
143224
153224
163224
173224
183224
193224
203224
213224
223224
233224
243224
253224
263224
273124
283124
293124
303124
313124

How May really feels in Sibu

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

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

Sibu weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 1st-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 23°31227.811.92.8
Feb30° / 23°24123.811.92.9
Mar31° / 24°22726.1122.7
Apr31° / 24°23026.8122.5
May32° / 24°21825.812.12.6
Jun31° / 24°17721.312.13.0
Jul31° / 24°17420.712.13.1
Aug31° / 24°19221.312.13.0
Sep31° / 24°24224.7122.7
Oct31° / 24°28028.111.92.5
Nov31° / 24°30728.711.92.5
Dec30° / 23°3442911.92.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 84%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11090
21189
31189
41288
51387
61387
71486
81486
91486
101585
111585
121684
131684
141783
151882
161882
171882
181882
191882
201882
211882
221882
231783
241882
251783
261684
271684
281783
291684
301684
311684

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Sibu gets around 218 mm of rain over 25.8 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 83% and peaks near 90% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
190
290
390
489
588
687
786
885
984
1083
1182
1281
1381
1480
1579
1679
1779
1879
1979
2080
2180
2280
2381
2481
2582
2682
2782
2883
2983
3083
3183

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the miserable band about 96% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1397
2397
3397
4397
5397
6397
7397
8397
9397
10397
11397
12397
13397
14397
15397
16397
17397
18397
19397
20397
21496
22496
23496
24595
25595
26595
27694
28694
29694
30793
31793

Wind in May

Winds average 4 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 4 km/h on the calmest days to 4 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 06 min at the start of May to 12 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 0 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:28 AM to 6:26 AM, and sunset from 6:32 PM to 6:34 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.16:286:32
212.16:276:32
312.16:276:32
412.16:276:32
512.16:276:32
612.16:276:32
712.16:276:32
812.16:266:32
912.16:266:32
1012.16:266:32
1112.16:266:32
1212.16:266:32
1312.16:266:32
1412.16:266:32
1512.16:266:32
1612.16:266:32
1712.16:266:32
1812.16:266:32
1912.16:266:32
2012.16:266:32
2112.16:266:32
2212.16:266:33
2312.16:266:33
2412.16:266:33
2512.16:266:33
2612.16:266:33
2712.16:266:33
2812.16:266:33
2912.16:266:33
3012.16:266:34
3112.16:266:34

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.78 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.95 kWh/m² to a high of 5.04 kWh/m² in August across the year — May's 4.78 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.8Bright
24.8Bright
34.8Bright
44.8Bright
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
274.7Bright
284.7Bright
294.7Bright
304.7Bright
314.7Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Sibu

In seasonPeak

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

Sibu 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 May a good time to visit Sibu?

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

2.6
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
4.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Sibu.

What to pack for Sibu in May

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

In May, Sibu sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 26 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Sibu in May

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

The sea at the nearest coast (about 64 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.

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Warm
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct30Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Sibu in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May 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 Sibu peaks around March 14 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 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 14UV 15Jul 14UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May14Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct14Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Sibu in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Sibu is worst in September — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (December, 11 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodSep 1325 µg/m³Dec 1411 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb12Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug22Moderate
Sep26Moderate
Oct17Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Sibu?

Sibu sits at 2.3°N, 111.8°E, 0 m above sea level, in Malaysia. The nearest listed city is Sibu Jaya, 18 km away.

Topography around Sibu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sibu 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 74 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 793 m.

The land around Sibu is covered by trees (55%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 3 km, trees (85%) within 16 km, and trees (79%) within 80 km.

3 km
24 m
16 km
74 m
80 km
793 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
May weather nearby: Sibu Jaya 18 km · Maradong 33 km · Julau 33 km · Sarikei 39 km · Kanowit 43 km · Pakan 49 km · Daro 49 km · Dalat 50 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 Sibu (2.3°, 111.8167°, elevation 0 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).