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Climate - Cambodia


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, when to go, what to pack

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Map - Cambodia


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Index


  • Introduction - Phnom Penh, Kampot
  • Typhoons
  • Best Time
  • What to pack

Introduction



In Cambodia, a Southeast Asian country overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, the climate is tropical, hot all year round, with a rainy season from May to mid-November due to the south-west monsoon and a dry season from mid-November to April. The dry season can be divided into two periods: the first is the least hot of the year, while the second, from mid-February to May, before the monsoon arrives, is the hottest of the year. The monsoon withdraws in early November in the north and between the middle and the end of the month in the center-south.
The coolest month is December, while the hottest months are April and May, when the heat becomes oppressive; in the rainy season, the temperature is a bit lower, but the humidity is higher, so the weather is hot and muggy.
Since the country is not large, the climate is fairly uniform.
In a typical year, from 1,300 to 1,800 millimeters (51 to 70 inches) of rain fall in inland areas; the rainiest region at sea level is the south-west, towards the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, where the rainfall exceeds 2,000 mm (80 in) per year and there are vast areas covered with forest.
The climate is a bit cooler in the highlands, such as the Cardamon Mountains, whose highest point is Phnom Aural, 1,800 meters (5,900 ft) high, and whose slopes are covered by an impenetrable forest and are protected by a nature reserve. The mountainous areas, in addition to being the coolest, are also the rainiest: they receive up to 5,000 millimeters (197 inches) of rain per year, and may experience some showers in the afternoon even before the monsoon season (ie from February to April).

Phnom Penh

In the capital, Phnom Penh, the daytime temperature is 30 °C (86 °F) in November and December, it begins to rise slightly already in January, and it reaches its highest values in April, with an average of 35 °C (95 °F), but with peaks of 40 °C (104 °F); then, it decreases slightly during the long rainy months. Here are the average temperatures.
Phnom Penh - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January223227729080.6
February233328739182.4
March243529.5759585.1
April253530779586
May253429.5779385.1
June253429.5779385.1
July253329779184.2
August253329779184.2
September243228759082.4
October243127.5758881.5
November233026.5738679.7
December223026728678.8
Year23.932.728.2575.190.883

In Phnom Penh, 1,400 mm (55 in) of rain fall per year, with a minimum in January, when it almost never rains, and a maximum in October, when rainfall reaches 250 mm (10 in). The latter part of the monsoon period is therefore the wettest, and presents the greatest risk of flooding, especially in the area crossed by the great river, the Mekong. Here is the average precipitation.
Phnom Penh - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January70.31
February100.41
March401.63
April7536
May1355.314
June1556.115
July1706.716
August1606.316
September2258.919
October2551017
November1254.99
December451.84
Year140055.2121

The amount of sunshine in Cambodia is good from December to February, but also in March and April, despite the first thunderstorms, while it's barely sufficient if not low from June to October because of the cloudiness brought by the monsoon. Here are the average daily sunshine hours in Phnom Penh.
Phnom Penh - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January8.5260
February8225
March8.5265
April8240
May6.5200
June6.5190
July4.5145
August5.5175
September4.5130
October6.5200
November7215
December8240
Year6.82490

Angkor Wat

The climate of the ancient capital, Angkor Wat, located in the northwest of the country, is similar to that of Phnom Penh. However, lying in the northern part, the monsoon in Angkor Wat retreats a bit sooner (i.e. in early November), in addition, the winter temperature is slightly lower.

Kampot

Along the coast, because of the thermal inertia of the sea, in the pre-monsoon season, it does not get as hot as in the interior, as we can see from the temperatures of Krong Kampot.
Kampot - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January213126708878.8
February223126.5728879.7
March233227.5739081.5
April253228.5779083.3
May253228.5779083.3
June243127.5758881.5
July233127738880.6
August243027758680.6
September233026.5738679.7
October233127738880.6
November233026.5738679.7
December223026728678.8
Year23.230.92773.787.780.5

As mentioned, the rains are more abundant on the coast, in fact, they amount to almost 2,000 mm (80 in) per year. In addition, the rainiest months here are July and August, when the rainfall exceeds 300 mm (12 in) per month. Here is the average precipitation.
Kampot - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January100.41
February200.82
March803.15
April1003.95
May1907.55
June2108.312
July32012.616
August3301316
September2509.812
October2309.112
November1405.59
December401.63
Year192075.698

The sea in Cambodia is warm enough to swim in all year round, as we can see in the following table, relative to the sea temperatures at Koh Kong.
Koh Kong - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January2882
February2882
March2984
April3086
May3086
June3086
July2984
August2984
September2984
October2984
November2984
December2882
Year2984.2

Typhoons



Cambodia can be hit by typhoons, the tropical cyclones of the western Pacific, though they are quite rare because they usually pass to the north and hit Northern Vietnam and Laos. Moreover, when typhoons affect Cambodia, they are generally weakened because they have released the bulk of their energy over the coasts of Southern Vietnam. However, they can still bring heavy rains, which can cause flooding. In theory, typhoons can occur between June and December, but in Cambodia, they generally pass from mid-October to mid-November, with a maximum at the beginning of November.

Best Time



The best time to visit Cambodia goes from December to mid-February, in fact, it is the coolest, the driest and the sunniest of the year. If you want, you can avoid the first half of December, during which a typhoon has sometimes still affected the country.
The best time for a beach holiday in Cambodia is from December to February, even though, on the coast, the increase in temperature in the period from March to May is not as noticeable as in the interior.

What to pack



All year round, bring lightweight clothing of natural fibers, comfortable shoes, a scarf for the breeze on the coast. From December to March, you can add a sweatshirt for the evening, and in the rainy season, a light sweatshirt and a light raincoat or umbrella. For the mountains, pack spring/autumn clothes, a raincoat or umbrella, and a sweater and a jacket for the evening, a bit warmer from December to March.
When visiting temples, it is customary to remove shoes, dress neatly and cover a little.

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