Kota Bharu climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Kota Bharu?

Kota Bharu has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 26.5 °C and it receives 2,509 mm of precipitation per year.

Q: What is the hottest day ever recorded in Kota Bharu?

The hottest day measured in Kota Bharu between 1940 and 2025 was 8 May 2019, reaching 38.1 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Kota Bharu?

The coldest day measured in Kota Bharu between 1940 and 2025 was 4 January 1972, at 17.8 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Kota Bharu?

Almost never: Kota Bharu sees virtually no snow, with about 0 frost days per year.

Q: Has the climate of Kota Bharu warmed?

Yes: Kota Bharu warmed by +2.1 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Kota Bharu?

The wettest day measured in Kota Bharu between 1940 and 2025 was 21 November 2025, with 310 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Kota Bharu?

The windiest day measured in Kota Bharu between 1940 and 2025 was 22 December 2005, with winds reaching 32.0 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Kota Bharu?

The warmest month in Kota Bharu is May (27.7 °C on average); the coldest is January (25.1 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Kota Bharu?

Kota Bharu receives on average 2,509 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 287 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Kota Bharu?

Kota Bharu gets on average 10.3 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,760 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Kota Bharu (Malaysia) has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 26.5 °C and it receives 2,509 mm of precipitation per year.

These figures are normals computed over 86 complete calendar years, from 1940 to 2025, using ERA5 reanalysis data from the Copernicus programme.

The warmest month is May (27.7 °C on average) and the coldest is January (25.1 °C). Rainfall peaks in November.

Kota Bharu averages 0 frost days, 230 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 287 rainy days per year.

Kota Bharu has warmed by +2.1 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.24 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The hottest day of the period reached 38.1 °C (on 8 May 2019) and the coldest 17.8 °C (on 4 January 1972).

Data from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus Climate Change Service), redistributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence. Normals are recomputed whenever the archive is updated.

Climate normals · ERA5

Kota BharuKelantan

coords: 6.12°, 102.24°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

AfTropical rainforestWarmest monthMayColdest monthJanuaryWettest monthNovemberDriest monthFebruary

Mean daily temperature

26.5°C

Average daily high

30.5°C

Average daily low

23.8°C

Annual rainfall

2,509mm

Sunshine / day

10.3h

Mean relative humidity

86%

Average peak wind

11.3km/h

Seasonal range

2.6°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

230 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

287 d/yr

Annual snowfall

0.0 cm

Average feels-like high

37.0 °C

Average feels-like low

28.6 °C

Average peak gust

28.1 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

363 d/yr

Solar radiation

19.6 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+2.1 °C

since 1940

+0.2 °C per decade · r² = 0.85 · p = < 0.001

19402025

Trend fitted by linear regression (ordinary least squares) on annual means. A trend is shown only when it is statistically significant (p < 0.05).

A climograph overlays rainfall (bars) and temperature (line): the standard reading in climatology, where you can see at a glance whether the warm season is also the dry one.

Records for the period

Hottest day

38.1 °C

8 May 2019

Coldest day

17.8 °C

4 January 1972

Wettest day

310 mm

21 November 2025

Windiest day

32.0 km/h

22 December 2005

Strongest gust

63.4 km/h

2 December 1981

Hottest feels-like

44.5 °C

29 May 2024

Coldest feels-like

19.6 °C

27 February 1958

Sunniest day

12.1 h

4 July 1949

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days
2025	35.2 °C23 May 2025	20.2 °C31 January 2025	27.4 °C	2,975 mm	280
2024	36.8 °C4 September 2024	22.6 °C13 March 2024	28.2 °C	2,809 mm	318
2023	35.4 °C1 June 2023	21.4 °C15 March 2023	27.6 °C	3,782 mm	274
2022	34.8 °C22 May 2022	21.5 °C13 January 2022	27.3 °C	3,377 mm	279
2021	35.2 °C31 May 2021	21.3 °C4 February 2021	27.3 °C	2,865 mm	281
2020	35.1 °C20 May 2020	21.2 °C8 February 2020	27.5 °C	2,631 mm	291
2019	38.1 °C8 May 2019	20.3 °C26 January 2019	27.6 °C	2,323 mm	298
2018	35.5 °C25 April 2018	20.2 °C11 February 2018	27.4 °C	2,308 mm	287
2017	34.6 °C25 April 2017	22.7 °C10 March 2017	27.4 °C	3,157 mm	286
2016	37.3 °C4 May 2016	21.2 °C22 February 2016	27.9 °C	2,255 mm	317
2015	36.0 °C5 May 2015	20.3 °C14 February 2015	27.5 °C	1,900 mm	299
2014	35.6 °C15 May 2014	18.7 °C4 February 2014	27.1 °C	2,640 mm	278
2013	36.3 °C6 April 2013	21.7 °C26 January 2013	27.2 °C	2,624 mm	264
2012	34.7 °C26 April 2012	22.3 °C6 January 2012	27.1 °C	2,600 mm	292
2011	35.5 °C9 May 2011	19.8 °C21 January 2011	26.9 °C	2,984 mm	240
2010	36.5 °C14 May 2010	21.3 °C1 February 2010	27.5 °C	2,451 mm	293
2009	35.2 °C20 April 2009	20.4 °C3 February 2009	27.1 °C	2,585 mm	268
2008	33.7 °C28 September 2008	21.2 °C21 February 2008	26.8 °C	3,307 mm	237
2007	34.2 °C10 August 2007	19.6 °C31 January 2007	26.9 °C	3,065 mm	252
2006	33.7 °C29 April 2006	21.5 °C13 March 2006	27.0 °C	2,660 mm	263
2005	34.6 °C5 August 2005	19.7 °C26 January 2005	27.1 °C	2,835 mm	269
2004	36.5 °C19 April 2004	21.1 °C22 February 2004	27.0 °C	1,915 mm	239
2003	35.2 °C27 May 2003	20.8 °C27 January 2003	27.0 °C	2,027 mm	246
2002	34.3 °C7 September 2002	19.6 °C9 February 2002	27.2 °C	1,778 mm	276
2001	34.4 °C16 August 2001	21.3 °C18 February 2001	27.0 °C	2,476 mm	262
2000	34.2 °C16 May 2000	21.1 °C5 February 2000	26.8 °C	2,672 mm	245
1999	34.1 °C26 April 1999	21.2 °C29 December 1999	26.8 °C	3,179 mm	245
1998	37.6 °C21 May 1998	22.4 °C24 January 1998	27.5 °C	2,576 mm	292
1997	35.1 °C29 May 1997	20.4 °C3 January 1997	26.9 °C	2,168 mm	258
1996	34.9 °C10 April 1996	19.5 °C18 January 1996	26.6 °C	3,073 mm	234
1995	34.3 °C23 April 1995	21.2 °C9 March 1995	26.7 °C	3,071 mm	234
1994	33.5 °C4 May 1994	19.5 °C18 January 1994	26.5 °C	2,768 mm	233
1993	33.6 °C10 June 1993	19.5 °C22 February 1993	26.4 °C	2,802 mm	222
1992	35.7 °C8 May 1992	21.2 °C15 March 1992	26.7 °C	2,108 mm	231
1991	33.6 °C20 April 1991	19.8 °C11 March 1991	26.6 °C	2,553 mm	224
1990	34.1 °C20 June 1990	20.1 °C5 March 1990	26.8 °C	2,316 mm	244
1989	35.5 °C22 April 1989	17.9 °C15 February 1989	26.5 °C	2,425 mm	228
1988	33.4 °C10 August 1988	20.6 °C30 December 1988	26.6 °C	3,135 mm	243
1987	34.9 °C14 July 1987	20.3 °C19 January 1987	26.9 °C	2,476 mm	258
1986	35.9 °C11 May 1986	20.6 °C11 February 1986	26.7 °C	2,532 mm	247
1985	33.9 °C12 April 1985	19.0 °C17 January 1985	26.3 °C	2,756 mm	233
1984	34.0 °C3 August 1984	19.6 °C7 March 1984	26.2 °C	2,831 mm	218
1983	35.7 °C20 May 1983	20.7 °C6 February 1983	26.8 °C	2,372 mm	258
1982	34.1 °C3 May 1982	20.0 °C19 January 1982	26.4 °C	2,104 mm	251
1981	36.1 °C19 August 1981	19.6 °C27 January 1981	26.6 °C	1,956 mm	247
1980	34.3 °C21 May 1980	19.5 °C18 January 1980	26.7 °C	2,419 mm	255
1979	34.7 °C1 April 1979	20.2 °C11 January 1979	26.5 °C	2,516 mm	244
1978	34.1 °C29 September 1978	19.9 °C31 January 1978	26.5 °C	2,274 mm	232
1977	34.4 °C26 May 1977	20.2 °C18 February 1977	26.2 °C	2,049 mm	202
1976	34.5 °C26 June 1976	18.3 °C20 January 1976	26.0 °C	2,233 mm	220
1975	33.2 °C16 August 1975	18.9 °C27 January 1975	25.9 °C	2,807 mm	205
1974	33.8 °C16 August 1974	18.8 °C13 January 1974	25.9 °C	2,255 mm	189
1973	34.0 °C28 August 1973	19.2 °C2 March 1973	26.3 °C	2,655 mm	226
1972	34.8 °C6 June 1972	17.8 °C4 January 1972	26.3 °C	2,408 mm	231
1971	34.8 °C27 April 1971	19.4 °C16 January 1971	25.9 °C	2,544 mm	187
1970	33.9 °C30 April 1970	19.7 °C24 January 1970	26.3 °C	2,303 mm	237
1969	35.3 °C16 April 1969	18.7 °C5 March 1969	26.7 °C	2,166 mm	256
1968	33.6 °C12 July 1968	18.6 °C27 February 1968	26.1 °C	1,852 mm	233
1967	35.3 °C3 June 1967	18.6 °C8 February 1967	26.0 °C	2,514 mm	208
1966	33.8 °C3 May 1966	20.9 °C25 February 1966	25.9 °C	3,033 mm	199
1965	34.0 °C16 May 1965	17.9 °C9 January 1965	25.9 °C	2,488 mm	215
1964	34.2 °C22 April 1964	20.4 °C30 January 1964	26.3 °C	2,052 mm	233
1963	35.4 °C16 May 1963	19.3 °C15 January 1963	26.2 °C	1,960 mm	221
1962	34.0 °C25 May 1962	18.9 °C7 February 1962	26.1 °C	2,435 mm	221
1961	33.6 °C30 June 1961	19.8 °C4 February 1961	26.1 °C	2,280 mm	220
1960	35.9 °C27 March 1960	18.0 °C18 March 1960	26.3 °C	2,192 mm	228
1959	33.0 °C23 April 1959	19.8 °C4 January 1959	26.0 °C	2,320 mm	198
1958	35.4 °C21 April 1958	18.0 °C27 February 1958	26.4 °C	2,062 mm	217
1957	34.2 °C22 April 1957	18.6 °C5 January 1957	26.2 °C	2,277 mm	213
1956	33.0 °C4 July 1956	18.3 °C22 January 1956	25.8 °C	2,859 mm	187
1955	33.9 °C30 May 1955	19.3 °C13 February 1955	25.9 °C	3,024 mm	208
1954	33.3 °C15 April 1954	18.8 °C23 November 1954	25.8 °C	2,917 mm	201
1953	33.3 °C15 August 1953	20.4 °C9 January 1953	26.2 °C	2,660 mm	216
1952	33.0 °C24 October 1952	19.4 °C24 January 1952	26.2 °C	2,432 mm	217
1951	33.8 °C23 June 1951	19.9 °C10 March 1951	26.2 °C	1,615 mm	208
1950	32.9 °C1 June 1950	18.8 °C10 March 1950	25.9 °C	2,251 mm	207
1949	34.0 °C29 July 1949	19.2 °C24 January 1949	26.2 °C	563 mm	216
1948	32.3 °C2 June 1948	19.0 °C1 March 1948	25.5 °C	2,078 mm	127
1947	31.6 °C11 June 1947	20.7 °C28 December 1947	25.4 °C	3,093 mm	75
1946	32.0 °C13 May 1946	19.1 °C26 January 1946	25.4 °C	2,828 mm	109
1945	31.2 °C7 June 1945	20.4 °C24 February 1945	25.1 °C	3,346 mm	88
1944	33.9 °C3 May 1944	18.8 °C28 January 1944	25.7 °C	2,349 mm	179
1943	33.1 °C22 April 1943	18.3 °C20 March 1943	25.3 °C	2,091 mm	140
1942	32.1 °C19 April 1942	19.4 °C29 December 1942	25.4 °C	2,463 mm	126
1941	31.6 °C27 April 1941	20.3 °C15 January 1941	25.4 °C	2,727 mm	109
1940	31.5 °C10 March 1940	18.5 °C8 February 1940	25.4 °C	2,192 mm	137

Normals computed over complete calendar years 1940–2025.

A specific year

Pick a year and see how it compares to normal — warmer, drier or more extreme than usual?

Year

Across the whole year

Average daily high

31.1 °C

+0.6 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

280 d/yr

+50

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Annual rainfall

2975 mm

+466 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	28.9 °C	+0.5 °C	238 mm	+67 mm
Feb	29.9 °C	+0.6 °C	129 mm	+29 mm
Mar	30.6 °C	0.0 °C	105 mm	-0 mm
Apr	31.8 °C	-0.1 °C	228 mm	+109 mm
May	32.9 °C	+0.8 °C	211 mm	+32 mm
Jun	32.2 °C	+0.3 °C	157 mm	-4 mm
Jul	32.0 °C	+0.5 °C	110 mm	-65 mm
Aug	32.1 °C	+0.6 °C	206 mm	-10 mm
Sep	31.9 °C	+0.8 °C	178 mm	-71 mm
Oct	31.5 °C	+1.1 °C	193 mm	-107 mm
Nov	29.9 °C	+0.8 °C	984 mm	+616 mm
Dec	29.9 °C	+1.7 °C	237 mm	-130 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

35.2 °C

23 May 2025

Coldest day

20.2 °C

31 Jan 2025

Wettest day

310.4 mm

21 Nov 2025

Windiest day

23.5 km/h

25 Nov 2025

Strongest gust

52.6 km/h

19 Mar 2025

Hottest feels-like

43.3 °C

2 Aug 2025

Coldest feels-like

23.3 °C

31 Jan 2025

Sunniest day

12.0 h

29 Jun 2025

What was the weather like that day?

Your birthday, a wedding, a memorable trip: discover the actual weather for any date since 1940.

Date

Frequently asked questions

What is the climate of Kota Bharu?

Kota Bharu has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 26.5 °C and it receives 2,509 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Kota Bharu?

The hottest day measured in Kota Bharu between 1940 and 2025 was 8 May 2019, reaching 38.1 °C.

What is the coldest day in Kota Bharu?

The coldest day measured in Kota Bharu between 1940 and 2025 was 4 January 1972, at 17.8 °C.

Does it snow in Kota Bharu?

Almost never: Kota Bharu sees virtually no snow, with about 0 frost days per year.

Has the climate of Kota Bharu warmed?

Yes: Kota Bharu warmed by +2.1 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Kota Bharu?

The wettest day measured in Kota Bharu between 1940 and 2025 was 21 November 2025, with 310 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Kota Bharu?

The windiest day measured in Kota Bharu between 1940 and 2025 was 22 December 2005, with winds reaching 32.0 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Kota Bharu?

The warmest month in Kota Bharu is May (27.7 °C on average); the coldest is January (25.1 °C).

How much does it rain in Kota Bharu?

Kota Bharu receives on average 2,509 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 287 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Kota Bharu?

Kota Bharu gets on average 10.3 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,760 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Are there tropical nights in Kota Bharu?

Yes: Kota Bharu has on average 363 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Kota Bharu?

In Kota Bharu, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 44.5 °C on 29 May 2024, and the lowest was 19.6 °C on 27 February 1958.

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