Tawau weather in October

In October, Tawau sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 214 mm of rain across 28.7 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-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 6% of the time in October, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 hours at the start of October to 11 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Tawau's 9th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Tawau's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
4th warmest
Overnight low
25°
9th coldest
Rainfall
214 mm
28.7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
5:56 AM – 5:51 PM
Cloud cover
81%
9th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
5.1 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.1
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 October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

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

A typical October 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 30°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs on par with September and on par with November.

20°23°25°28°30°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 October really feels in Tawau

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

Tawau weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-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 October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 82%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12278
22278
32278
42179
52179
62179
72179
82179
92080
102080
112080
121981
131981
141882
151882
161882
171783
181783
191684
201585
211585
221486
231486
241486
251486
261486
271486
281486
291585
301585
311585

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Tawau gets around 214 mm of rain over 28.7 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 92% and peaks near 93% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
190
291
391
492
592
692
792
892
992
1092
1192
1292
1392
1492
1592
1692
1792
1892
1992
2092
2192
2292
2392
2493
2593
2693
2793
2893
2993
3093
3193

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the miserable band about 74% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
12773
22773
32773
42773
52773
62674
72674
82674
92575
102575
112575
122476
132476
142476
152476
162575
172575
182575
192674
202674
212773
222773
232773
242773
252872
262773
272773
282773
292773
302674
312674

Wind in October

Winds average 6 km/h in October.

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

0246810151015202531
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
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

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

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:59 AM to 5:56 AM, and sunset from 5:56 PM to 5:48 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.05:595:56
212.05:585:56
312.05:585:55
412.05:585:55
511.95:585:55
611.95:585:54
711.95:575:54
811.95:575:53
911.95:575:53
1011.95:575:53
1111.95:575:52
1211.95:575:52
1311.95:575:52
1411.95:565:51
1511.95:565:51
1611.95:565:51
1711.95:565:50
1811.95:565:50
1911.95:565:50
2011.95:565:50
2111.95:565:49
2211.95:565:49
2311.95:565:49
2411.95:565:49
2511.95:565:48
2611.95:565:48
2711.95:565:48
2811.95:565:48
2911.95:565:48
3011.95:565:48
3111.95:565:48

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 5.1 kWh/m².

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 — October's 5.1 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
255.0Bright
264.9Bright
274.9Bright
284.9Bright
294.9Bright
304.9Bright
314.8Bright
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Tawau

In seasonPeak

In October, 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 October a good time to visit Tawau?

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

3.1
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
4.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

October is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Tawau.

What to pack for Tawau in October

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

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

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Tawau in October

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in October — 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 October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 12 (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 October

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where October 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
October 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).