Pattaya climate month by month: when to come and what the rainy season is really like
A month-by-month table of temperatures, sea, rainfall and humidity. What "rainy season" actually means day to day, and which months are the most comfortable to live in Pattaya.
For tomorrow's forecast, check your phone. This article is about something else: what Pattaya's climate is like overall, and how it feels if you are staying for a season or a few years rather than a week.
In short
Pattaya has a tropical climate with three seasons: hot and dry from December to February, hot and humid in March and April, hot and rainy from May to November. Note that "hot" appears in all three — it is never cold here. The gap between the warmest and the coolest month is under three degrees.
- Best months to live here: November to February
- Hottest: April and May
- Wettest: September and October
- The sea stays warm all year: 27 to 31 °C
Month by month
| Month | Day | Night | Rainfall | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30.6 | 23.5 | 16 mm | 1.6 |
| February | 31.2 | 24.5 | 20 mm | 1.8 |
| March | 32.0 | 25.5 | 47 mm | 3.3 |
| April | 33.0 | 26.4 | 68 mm | 5.0 |
| May | 32.7 | 26.6 | 121 mm | 9.0 |
| June | 32.0 | 26.4 | 132 mm | 9.8 |
| July | 31.6 | 26.2 | 104 mm | 9.5 |
| August | 31.4 | 26.1 | 91 mm | 9.1 |
| September | 31.1 | 25.4 | 214 mm | 13.2 |
| October | 30.9 | 24.7 | 225 mm | 14.4 |
| November | 30.8 | 24.3 | 57 mm | 4.0 |
| December | 30.2 | 23.3 | 12 mm | 1.5 |
The year brings about 1,106 mm of rain across roughly 82 rainy days — on average one day in four, though that average hides the spread: a day and a half in December, fourteen in October.
What "rainy season" actually means
The common misconception is a week of grey skies, the way autumn works in northern Europe. Pattaya is not like that.
A tropical downpour usually arrives in the afternoon, falls like a wall for half an hour to two hours, and then the sky clears. Mornings are usually sunny. That is why the table says "14 rainy days" in October: not fourteen ruined days, but fourteen days on which it rained at least once.
What does change in the wet season:
- The sea gets cloudy and seaweed appears, especially on the city beaches
- Humidity stays high and laundry dries slowly
- September and October bring street flooding — the water drains within an hour or two, but driving is difficult while it lasts
- Everything gets cheaper: hotels and short-term rentals alike
Season by season
November to February: the best time
Almost no rain, humidity drops, nights can fall to 23 °C — cool by local standards, and some people sleep with the window open instead of the air conditioning. This is high season: the city is full, rents are higher, and seafront restaurants need booking.
If you are choosing when to come and view apartments, come now. Just remember you are seeing Pattaya at its best, and you would be living here the other nine months too.
March to May: peak heat
April is the hottest month, averaging 33 °C by day and feeling hotter because of the humidity. Mid-April brings Songkran, the Thai new year: several days of the whole city throwing water, and the one time the heat works in the festival's favour.
The first rains arrive in May, and they come as a relief.
June to August: manageable
Contrary to expectation, these are not the worst months. There is less rain than in September, temperatures sit below April's, and there are fewer tourists. Many long-term residents consider this a perfectly normal time of year.
September and October: peak rain
Two months carry more than a third of the annual rainfall. If humidity is hard on you, these are the weeks to plan a trip home or elsewhere in Asia.
The sea
The Gulf of Thailand stays warm all year: 27–28 °C in December and January, 30–31 °C in April and May. "Too cold to swim" does not exist here in any month.
Sources differ by a degree or two because measurements are taken at different points in the gulf. The practical conclusion does not change: you can swim any day of the year, and the difference between "winter" and "summer" is the difference between a warm bath and a very warm one.
Water clarity varies more than temperature. It is clearer in the dry season, and cleaner the further south you go from the city centre. Our district guide covers this in more detail.
What this means for your home
Climate shapes the choice of apartment more than it seems while you are viewing.
- Air conditioning runs most of the year. Budget for electricity: bills rise noticeably in the hot months. In rentals, electricity is normally metered separately from the rent.
- Floor and orientation matter more than the view. West-facing windows heat up by evening, and upper floors get hotter. A shaded balcony beats a beautiful but baking one.
- Humidity is the real enemy. A closed, unventilated apartment can grow mould within a month. If you leave for a long trip, set the air conditioning to dry mode or ask someone to air the place out.
- Beachfront means salt. Metal, appliances and window frames wear faster. Beautiful, but it needs looking after.
If you are choosing a district with permanent living in mind, see our guide to all eight Pattaya districts — where it is quieter, where the water is cleaner, and what is where.
The bottom line
Pattaya is not a place where you wait for good weather. It is always warm; the only question is how much moisture is in the air. The best months are November to February, the worst are September and October, and everything in between is comfortable enough — provided you have air conditioning and do not plan your afternoons around the rainy season.
Temperature and rainfall figures are long-term averages from Thai meteorological records.