Tawau weather in September

In September, Tawau sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 176 mm of rain across 26.6 wet days and about 12 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 8th-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 10% of the time in September, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 06 min at the start of September to 12 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Tawau's 5th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Tawau's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
5th warmest
Overnight low
25°
9th coldest
Rainfall
176 mm
26.6 wet days
Daylight
12 hours
6:02 AM – 6:03 PM
Cloud cover
76%
5th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.4 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.3
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 September

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

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

A typical September 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, September runs on par with August and on par with October.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202530
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

How September really feels in Tawau

Once humidity and wind are folded in, September averages 30 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
30
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

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

Tawau weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 5th-warmest and 8th-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 September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 76%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12872
22872
32872
42872
52872
62773
72674
82674
92575
102575
112377
122377
132278
142278
152179
162278
172278
182278
192377
202278
212278
222377
232476
242476
252476
262476
272377
282377
292377
302377

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Tawau gets around 176 mm of rain over 26.6 wet days in September. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 89% and peaks near 91% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
191
290
390
490
590
690
789
889
989
1089
1189
1289
1389
1489
1589
1689
1789
1889
1989
2088
2188
2288
2388
2488
2589
2689
2789
2889
2990
3090

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, September lands in the miserable band about 68% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
13862
23763
33763
43763
53664
63664
73664
83565
93565
103565
113466
123466
133367
143367
153268
163169
173169
183070
192971
202971
212872
222872
232773
242773
252773
262773
272773
282773
292773
302773

Wind in September

Winds average 6 km/h in September.

Across September, 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.

0246810151015202530
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

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

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

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:06 AM to 5:59 AM, and sunset from 6:11 PM to 5:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.16:066:11
212.16:056:10
312.16:056:10
412.16:056:09
512.16:056:09
612.16:056:08
712.16:046:08
812.16:046:07
912.16:046:07
1012.06:046:06
1112.06:036:06
1212.06:036:05
1312.06:036:05
1412.06:036:04
1512.06:026:04
1612.06:026:03
1712.06:026:03
1812.06:026:02
1912.06:016:02
2012.06:016:01
2112.06:016:01
2212.06:016:01
2312.06:006:00
2412.06:006:00
2512.06:005:59
2612.06:005:59
2712.05:595:58
2812.05:595:58
2912.05:595:57
3012.05:595:57

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 5.4 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 — September's 5.4 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.4Bright
65.4Bright
75.4Bright
85.4Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.4Bright
155.4Bright
165.4Bright
175.4Bright
185.4Bright
195.4Bright
205.4Bright
215.4Bright
225.4Bright
235.4Bright
245.4Bright
255.4Bright
265.4Bright
275.4Bright
285.3Bright
295.3Bright
305.3Bright
Planning a trip in September

Hazard calendar for Tawau

In seasonPeak

In September, 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 September a good time to visit Tawau?

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

3.3
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
4.1
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

September is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Tawau.

What to pack for Tawau in September

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

In September, Tawau sees daytime highs around 29°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 Tawau in September

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

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 13 (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 September

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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