Kaohsiung in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Kaohsiung sees average daytime highs around 23°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 101 mm of rain over about 18 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 23°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels humid.
Winter is Kaohsiung's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Kaohsiung's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 23°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 18°C
- Rainfall
- 101 mm
- 18 wet days
- Avg wind
- 12 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.6
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Kaohsiung in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 23°C.
A typical winter day in Kaohsiung reaches about 23°C and drops to 18°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Kaohsiung
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Kaohsiung weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23° / 18° | 35 | 5.9 | 10.8 | 7.6 |
| Feb | 24° / 18° | 26 | 6 | 11.2 | 7.6 |
| Mar | 26° / 21° | 36 | 7.3 | 11.8 | 7.2 |
| Apr | 28° / 23° | 82 | 10 | 12.5 | 6.2 |
| May | 29° / 26° | 232 | 17.3 | 13.1 | 4.4 |
| Jun | 30° / 27° | 338 | 20.5 | 13.4 | 3.5 |
| Jul | 31° / 27° | 275 | 19.7 | 13.2 | 3.5 |
| Aug | 30° / 27° | 363 | 21.2 | 12.8 | 3.5 |
| Sep | 30° / 26° | 189 | 16.7 | 12.1 | 4.1 |
| Oct | 29° / 25° | 80 | 11.6 | 11.5 | 5.6 |
| Nov | 27° / 22° | 58 | 8.1 | 10.9 | 7.0 |
| Dec | 24° / 19° | 40 | 5.6 | 10.6 | 7.7 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Kaohsiung gets around 101 mm of rain over 18 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 12 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 42 min in early December to 11 h 30 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 3.6 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Kaohsiung
In winter, Kaohsiung overlaps its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Kaohsiung sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Kaohsiung's monsoon runs May–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Kaohsiung?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is one of the better times to visit Kaohsiung for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Kaohsiung in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Kaohsiung sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 18°C. Worth packing: light clothes. About 18 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Kaohsiung in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 24°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 19 km away) is warmest in July at about 29°C and coldest in January near 24°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 25 |
| Comfort | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24 | Refreshing |
| Feb | 24 | Refreshing |
| Mar | 24 | Warm |
| Apr | 26 | Warm |
| May | 28 | Warm |
| Jun | 29 | Tropical |
| Jul | 29 | Tropical |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 29 | Tropical |
| Oct | 28 | Warm |
| Nov | 26 | Warm |
| Dec | 25 | Warm |
UV index in Kaohsiung in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kaohsiung peaks around June 17 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 6 (high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 6 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| Level | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | High |
| Feb | 8 | Very high |
| Mar | 10 | Very high |
| Apr | 9 | Very high |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 8 | Very high |
| Nov | 7 | Very high |
| Dec | 6 | High |
Air quality in Kaohsiung in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Kaohsiung is worst in March — around 34 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (June, 14 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 33 | 33 | 34 | 28 | 20 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 24 | 32 | 32 | 31 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33 | Moderate |
| Feb | 33 | Moderate |
| Mar | 34 | Moderate |
| Apr | 28 | Moderate |
| May | 20 | Moderate |
| Jun | 14 | Moderate |
| Jul | 15 | Moderate |
| Aug | 18 | Moderate |
| Sep | 24 | Moderate |
| Oct | 32 | Moderate |
| Nov | 32 | Moderate |
| Dec | 31 | Moderate |
Where is Kaohsiung?
Kaohsiung sits at 22.6°N, 120.3°E, 9 m above sea level, in Taiwan. The nearest listed city is Fengshan, 5.0 km away.
Topography around Kaohsiung
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Kaohsiung.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Kaohsiung has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 31 m around an average of 10 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 351 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,241 m.
The land around Kaohsiung is covered by artificial surfaces (82%) within 3 km, water (43%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 16 km, and water (45%) and trees (43%) within 80 km.
Taiwan travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 110 / 220 V · 60 Hz
- Happiness
- 6.7 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Religion
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 Kaohsiung (22.6163°, 120.3133°, elevation 9 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.