Tawau weather in March

In March, Tawau sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 144 mm of rain across 21.9 wet days and about 12 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 14% of the time in March, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 54 min at the start of March to 12 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Tawau's 2nd-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Tawau's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
25°
9th coldest
Rainfall
144 mm
21.9 wet days
Daylight
12 hours
6:19 AM – 6:17 PM
Cloud cover
72%
2nd clearest
Wind
7 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
5.56 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.9
out of 10

Tawau is A town, division and district in Sabah, Malaysia.

Founded
1658

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

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.

A typical March day in Tawau reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs on par with February and on par with April.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12925
22925
32925
42925
52925
62925
72925
82925
92925
102925
112925
122925
132925
142925
152925
162925
172925
182925
192925
202925
212925
222925
232925
242925
252925
262925
272925
282925
292925
302925
312925

How March really feels in Tawau

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

Tawau weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 3rd-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 25°15521.511.83.9
Feb29° / 25°11316.611.94.2
Mar29° / 25°14421.9123.9
Apr29° / 25°16325.412.13.3
May29° / 26°21629.512.23.0
Jun29° / 25°21228.112.23.1
Jul29° / 25°20028.112.23.3
Aug29° / 25°18627.912.13.3
Sep29° / 25°17626.6123.3
Oct29° / 25°21428.711.93.1
Nov29° / 25°19227.911.83.1
Dec29° / 25°19026.411.83.3

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 14% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 70%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12575
22575
32674
42773
52773
62773
72872
82872
92971
103070
113070
123070
133070
143169
153169
163169
173169
183169
193169
203169
213169
223169
233169
243268
253268
263268
273268
283268
293268
303466
313466

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Tawau gets around 144 mm of rain over 21.9 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 70% and peaks near 83% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
160
260
361
461
561
662
762
862
963
1063
1164
1264
1365
1466
1567
1668
1769
1870
1972
2073
2174
2276
2377
2479
2580
2681
2782
2882
2983
3083
3183

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, March lands in the oppressive band about 70% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
18020
28020
37921
47921
57921
67921
77921
87822
97822
107822
117822
127822
137723
147624
157624
167525
177426
187327
197129
207030
216832
226634
236436
246238
256040
265842
275644
285446
295248
305050
314852

Wind in March

Winds average 7 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 54 min at the start of March to 12 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:24 AM to 6:12 AM, and sunset from 6:19 PM to 6:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.96:246:19
211.96:246:19
311.96:246:19
411.96:236:19
511.96:236:19
611.96:236:19
711.96:226:19
811.96:226:18
911.96:226:18
1011.96:216:18
1112.06:216:18
1212.06:216:18
1312.06:206:18
1412.06:206:18
1512.06:196:17
1612.06:196:17
1712.06:196:17
1812.06:186:17
1912.06:186:17
2012.06:176:17
2112.06:176:16
2212.06:166:16
2312.06:166:16
2412.06:166:16
2512.06:156:16
2612.06:156:15
2712.06:146:15
2812.06:146:15
2912.06:136:15
3012.06:136:15
3112.06:126:14

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 5.56 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.62 kWh/m² to a high of 5.56 kWh/m² in March across the year — March's 5.56 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.5Bright
205.5Bright
215.5Bright
225.5Bright
235.5Bright
245.5Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Tawau

In seasonPeak

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

Tawau 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 March a good time to visit Tawau?

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

3.9
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
5.0
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Tawau.

What to pack for Tawau in March

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

In March, Tawau sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 22 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Tawau in March

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in March — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 29 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
Jan29Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Tawau in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Tawau peaks around March 17 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 17UV 15Dec 14UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Tawau in March

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Tawau is worst in September — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.8× the cleanest month (January, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodSep 1716 µg/m³Jan 129 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr12Moderate
May12Good
Jun11Good
Jul12Good
Aug14Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct15Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Tawau?

Tawau sits at 4.2°N, 117.9°E, 0 m above sea level, in Malaysia. The nearest listed city is Nunukan, 29 km away.

MalinauTanjung SelorSitangkaiSandakan

Topography around Tawau

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Tawau has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 26 m around an average of 4 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 670 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,290 m.

The land around Tawau is covered by water (54%) and artificial surfaces (28%) within 3 km, trees (49%) and water (40%) within 16 km, and trees (52%) and water (38%) within 80 km.

3 km
26 m
16 km
670 m
80 km
1,290 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
March weather nearby: Nunukan 29 km · Semporna 84 km · Lahad Datu 99 km · Tarakan 109 km · Malinau 158 km · Tanjung Selor 167 km · Sitangkai 173 km · Sandakan 179 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 Tawau (4.2448°, 117.8911°, 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).