Tambunan weather in December

In December, Tambunan sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 215 mm of rain across 25.2 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 2% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of December to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Tambunan's 10th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Tambunan's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
10th warmest
Overnight low
18°
10th coldest
Rainfall
215 mm
25.2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:20 AM – 6:01 PM
Cloud cover
88%
10th clearest
Wind
4 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
4.36 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.1
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month.

A typical December day in Tambunan reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12618
22618
32618
42618
52618
62618
72618
82618
92618
102618
112618
122618
132618
142618
152618
162618
172618
182618
192618
202618
212618
222618
232618
242618
252618
262618
272618
282618
292618
302618
312618

Tambunan weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 18°1812111.74.7
Feb26° / 18°13116.611.85.1
Mar27° / 18°15119.4124.9
Apr28° / 19°17921.112.14.5
May27° / 19°24825.412.34.0
Jun27° / 18°24424.312.34.1
Jul26° / 18°21122.812.34.4
Aug27° / 18°22823.712.24.3
Sep27° / 18°23024.6124.0
Oct26° / 18°2762811.93.7
Nov26° / 18°24026.311.73.8
Dec26° / 18°21525.211.74.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 2% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 91%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1892
2892
3892
4892
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
101090
111090
121090
131090
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
19991
20892
21793
22793
23793
24793
25793
26793
27793
28793
29892
30991
31991

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Tambunan gets around 215 mm of rain over 25.2 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 81% and peaks near 84% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
184
284
384
484
583
683
783
882
982
1082
1182
1281
1381
1481
1581
1681
1781
1881
1981
2081
2181
2281
2380
2480
2579
2679
2778
2877
2977
3076
3175

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the muggy band about 89% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 89% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
10793
20892
30892
40892
50892
60892
70892
80892
90892
100892
110892
120892
130892
140991
150991
160991
170991
180991
190991
2001090
2111089
2211089
2311188
2411287
2511287
2611386
2711485
2821583
2921583
3021682
3121781

Wind in December

Winds average 4 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 3 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
13calm
23calm
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 December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 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 grow by about 0 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:13 AM to 6:27 AM, and sunset from 5:55 PM to 6:08 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.76:135:55
211.76:145:55
311.76:145:56
411.76:155:56
511.76:155:56
611.76:165:57
711.76:165:57
811.76:175:57
911.76:175:58
1011.76:185:58
1111.76:185:59
1211.76:195:59
1311.76:195:59
1411.76:196:00
1511.76:206:00
1611.76:206:01
1711.76:216:01
1811.76:216:02
1911.76:226:02
2011.76:226:02
2111.76:236:03
2211.76:236:03
2311.76:246:04
2411.76:246:04
2511.76:256:05
2611.76:256:05
2711.76:266:06
2811.76:266:06
2911.76:276:07
3011.76:276:07
3111.76:276:08

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.36 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.36 kWh/m² to a high of 5.78 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 4.36 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.5Bright
24.5Bright
34.5Bright
44.5Bright
54.5Bright
64.5Bright
74.5Bright
84.5Bright
94.5Bright
104.4Bright
114.4Bright
124.4Bright
134.4Bright
144.4Bright
154.4Bright
164.4Bright
174.4Bright
184.3Bright
194.3Bright
204.3Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.3Bright
244.3Bright
254.3Bright
264.3Bright
274.3Bright
284.3Bright
294.3Bright
304.3Bright
314.3Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Tambunan

In seasonPeak

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

Tambunan 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 Tambunan?

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

4.1
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
4.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Tambunan for sightseeing.

What to pack for Tambunan in December

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

In December, Tambunan sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 18°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes. About 25 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothes

Sea temperature near Tambunan 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 at the nearest coast (about 55 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.

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar28Warm
Apr29Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct30Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Tambunan 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 Tambunan peaks around March 17 at about 15 (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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 17UV 15Dec 12UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May15Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Tambunan 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 Tambunan is worst in September — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.6× the cleanest month (December, 10 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1416 µg/m³Dec 1710 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb11Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct13Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Tambunan?

Tambunan sits at 5.7°N, 116.4°E, 630 m above sea level, in Malaysia. The nearest listed city is Donggongon, 39 km away.

Topography around Tambunan

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Tambunan has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 419 m around an average of 704 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,613 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,023 m.

The land around Tambunan is covered by trees (68%) within 3 km, trees (95%) within 16 km, and trees (81%) within 80 km.

3 km
419 m
16 km
1,613 m
80 km
4,023 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Donggongon 39 km · Ranau 39 km · Kinarut 41 km · Putatan 44 km · Petagas 44 km · Kota Kinabalu 46 km · Keningau 50 km · Papar 52 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 Tambunan (5.7167°, 116.4°, elevation 630 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).