Weather Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital, is one of Southeast Asia's fastest growing cities, both economically and in physical size. It is situated in the central region of the country toward the west coast in the Klang Valley and is bordered by the Titiwangsa Mountain range to the east. The city's name is Malay and is literally translated into English as "muddy confluence", as it is situated at the meeting point of the Gombak and Klang Rivers.
The city enjoys an equatorial climate, which is characterised by high temperatures and plenty of rainfall throughout the year. The Titiwangsa Mountains to the east and the mountainous island of Sumatra in Indonesia to the west protect Kuala Lumpur and greatly influence its weather.
Being close to the equator, temperatures are high throughout the entire year and vary very little, the average monthly temperatures sitting between 27°C and 28°C for the year. The temperature varies from lows of around 22°C to highs of around 33°C. The months of December, January and February are slighter cooler but only by a degree or two. March and April are usually the warmest months, but again the difference is minimal. Record temperatures in the city are 37°C high and 19°C low, which clearly show how tropically warm this climate is.
There are basically three different seasons in Kuala Lumpur. The wet period of the year, from October through to April, is divided into the east monsoon season and the west monsoon season. The wettest months occur at either end of this period: March through April and October through December. The third season is the dry season, which runs more or less from May through September.
As Kuala Lumpur is sheltered by mountains to the east and west, the rains are not as heavy as in other nearby cities, such as Singapore. Although the mountains provide protection from the worst of the region's storms, prolonged heavy rainfall can occur and the city can see flash flooding. For the most part, rainfall occurs in heavy but brief afternoon downpours so there is still plenty of dry weather, even in the wettest months. However, on the other hand, even the driest months can still have the occasional downpour.
Kuala Lumpur is humid year-round with the yearly average more than 80%. In the wettest months, humidity can climb into the 90s making the heat feel quite uncomfortable.
Generally speaking, Kuala Lumpur's weather is good throughout the year, so there is never really a bad time to visit this vibrant city. You are guaranteed warm temperatures and the balmy evenings mean you never have cause for a jacket.
Eastern Monsoon Season in Kuala Lumpur
Rainfall
The eastern monsoon rains hit Kuala Lumpur between October and January, a time when the city is subject to sometimes heavy downpours, mostly taking place in the afternoons. October and November are the wettest months with an average rainfall total of 280mm and 290mm respectively. December is slightly drier, receiving 250mm of precipitation in total. November, the wettest month of the entire year, has no fewer than 25 days with rainfall on averager, in other words, only 5 dry days. That said, however, even in the wet period of the year, much of the daytime is still dry.
Clouds
Because of the high amount of precipitation this time of year, the cloud cover is quite thick and there is less sunshine than other times of the year.
Sunshine Hours
The eastern monsoon season is the least sunny of all three seasonsctober has 7 hours of sunshine per day on average, November and December have 6, making them the "darkest" months of the year.
Temperature
This also happens to be the season with the lowest average temperatures, which is a statement that needs to be taken with a huge pinch of salt. The average temperature is 27°C this season. Mind you, the average temperature during most of the rest of the year is 28°Che temperature is basically constant all-year round in Kuala Lumpur. At night, the mercury drops to the average low of 23°C, which is by all means very warm. During the afternoons, it climbs to an average high temperature of 31°C.
The middle months of January and February are the driest of the wet season and are considered to be among the best to visit as temperatures are also slightly reduced. Additionally, humidity levels are slightly lower, which might make it feel even cooler. January tends to be the "coolest" month of the year, with an average nighttime temperature of 22°C and an average afternoon temperature of 32°C, although, once again, there is hardly any difference between temperatures throughout the year.
Western Monsoon Season in Kuala Lumpur
Rainfall
The western monsoon season hits the city from March through April and brings in a second wave of wet weather. March gets 260mm of precipitation in total, making it the third wettest month of the year. April receives 240mm of rainfall. There are 17 and 19 days with rainfall respectively.
Sunshine Hours
Both those rainfall totals and number of rainy days are lower than during the eastern monsoon season, which is why this is also a sunnier season. March, for example, has 7 hours of sunshine per day, while April has 8 daily sunshine hourshis happens to be as sunny as any month gets in Kuala Lumpur, a number that will remain constant through September.
Temperature
The temperatures average 28°C in both March and April and will also stay virtually the same through to the end of the dry season. March and April, however, tend to be a tiny bit warmer than the other months of the year, a time of year that sees minimally increased temperatures. March has the highest average high of any month (33°C); April has the highest average low (24°C).
Dry Season in Kuala Lumpur
Rainfall
Running basically from May through to September, the dry season is arguably the best time to visit Kuala Lumpur. While there is always a chance of rainfall, even this time of year, the total amounts of rainfall are significantly lower than they are during the wet seasons. July is the driest of all months, receiving 150mm of rainfall in total. Both June and August receive 160mm of precipitation. In June and July, there are 15 days with rainfall.
Sunshine Hours
Sunshine is at its annual maximum now, each day having 8 hours of sunshine on average, which is plenty of time to explore this phenomenal metropolis.
Temperature
Because of the beating sun, the temperatures are at their highest as well, averaging a constant 28°C during the whole season.
If you are planning a trip to Kuala Lumpur in the near future, you are encouraged to check out our detailed and up-to-date weather forecast here