George Town Holiday Weather Overview
A former penal colony with a long and colourful history, Georgetown is today one of Malaysia's biggest cities. Its hustle and bustle encompasses a wide variety of cultures and religions, although Chinese and Muslim traditions are the most dominant.
The entire old city of Georgetown has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, because it is one of the most complete and unspoilt examples of a former trading port linking east and west. Its "unique architecture, culture and townscape," according to UNESCO, is well worth a visit.
Georgetown's Climate
Because of Georgetown's proximity to the equator, it is hot all year round, with little variation in temperatures throughout the year. As an island, Penang is if anything rather hotter than the mainland, so visitors will need to be aware that it may take a while to acclimatise to the temperatures.
The year round heat and humidity is at times exacerbated by the phenomenon known as "the haze" - dust particles carried from forest fires in Sumatra. When this happens, skies can be grey for days at a time with little sunshine.
The Dry Season
Georgetown's dry season falls between December and March. As with any tropical climate, however, the term dry season is misleading - it can and does rain throughout the year in Georgetown. It will rain on between 5 and 9 days a month in these months, so don't visit at this time and expect to see no rain whatsoever.
Temperatures in the dry season hover between 28°C and 30°C, but temperatures barely drop at night, which contributes to the discomfort for visitors who are not used to this climate.
The dry season is the most popular and therefore the most expensive time to visit Georgetown, but less rain and lower humidity means that many visitors find it a more pleasant experience. Pack lightweight clothing and plenty of sunscreen, and a hat.
The Wet Season
Georgetown's wet season lasts from April until November, although the peak of the monsoon rains come between May and October, with October being the wettest month of the year. Early in the wet season, it may rain on almost half of the days in a month; towards the end, it is unusual to have a day with no rain.
The monsoon rains can be very fierce indeed, with heavy storms and strong winds. Usually, the storm lasts for an hour or two, but it's not unheard of for it to last all day and night. Flash flooding can be a problem during the peak of the wet season, which can cause transport difficulties and can also lead to landslides.
During the wet season, temperatures are around 32-24°C in the daytime, and in the low 20s Celsius overnight. The very high humidity makes clothing stick, so bring lots of changes of very lightweight clothing and plenty of insect repellent. It's much too hot for anything waterproof, but a head umbrella could be useful.
Best months to visit George Town?
February and January are the best month to go for holiday or travel to George Town. The weather averages gathered from George Town weather forecast and George Town weather history also forecast these months temperature to be around 31°c and average of 204 hours of sunshine in a month.
Coldest months of George Town?
January and December are the coldest months with temperature at around 24°c.
Which months receive most rainfall in George Town?
November and October receive most rainfall with precipitation count of 446.82mm.
Travelling to George Town? Check out our Weather averages of George Town to better plan your holiday or travel.
If you would just like to know what the weather was for a past dates for research or education or you are just curious then visit our historical weather of George Town section.