Makassar Weather & Climate: A Year-Round Guide

Located on the southwestern tip of Sulawesi, Makassar is shaped by a classic equatorial monsoon climate. Its position at 5 degrees south latitude ensures that day length remains nearly constant throughout the year, but the atmosphere swings between two dramatic extremes: the drenching northwest monsoon and the parched southeast monsoon.

Typical Weather Patterns

Makassar’s weather is defined by its seasonality rather than temperature fluctuations. The city experiences a distinct wet season from November to April and a dry season from June to September, with May and October serving as transitional periods. During the height of the monsoon in January, rainfall can be astronomical, sometimes exceeding 700mm in a single month. Conversely, the peak of the dry season in August may see almost no rain at all.

Daily Climate Behavior

In Makassar, the day follows a reliable rhythm driven by land and sea breezes:

• Morning: Typically the clearest and most comfortable time. Coastal winds are light, and the sky is often blue.
• Midday and Afternoon: Temperatures quickly climb to between 31°C and 34°C. As the land heats up, a cooling sea breeze (westerly) often kicks in by late afternoon. In the rainy season, this is when massive cumulonimbus clouds form, leading to heavy, short-lived downpours.
• Evening and Night: The land cools faster than the sea, reversing the wind direction (easterly). Nights remain warm and humid, with temperatures rarely dipping below 23°C.

Seasonal Trends

• The Wet Season (November – April): This is the season of the "Northwest Monsoon." Moisture-laden winds from the Asian continent across the Java Sea bring frequent, intense thunderstorms. Flooding is a historical reality for the city, particularly in low-lying areas near the Jeneberang and Tallo Rivers.
• The Dry Season (June – September): The "Southeast Monsoon" brings dry air from the Australian continent. While sunnier, this is also when the heat can feel most relentless. August and September are the driest months, occasionally leading to water shortages in the surrounding agricultural regions.
• The Shoulder Months (October & May): October is often the hottest month of the year because the sun is directly overhead (zenith) and the cooling rains have not yet arrived in full. Temperatures can spike to 38°C during this transition.

Microclimates and Variations

Makassar itself experiences a significant Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. The downtown areas, dense with concrete and asphalt, can feel 3°C to 5°C hotter than the surrounding green countrysides or coastal edges. To escape this, many locals travel inland toward the Bantimurung-Bulusaraung highlands or the mountains of Malino. At these higher elevations, the air is noticeably crisper, though they receive even higher rainfall than the coast.

Historical Context & Local Adaptation

Historically, the Bugis and Makassar people have built their lives around these rhythms. The city’s sea-faring heritage was dictated by the monsoons; ancient schooners (Pinisi) would use the winds to trade across the archipelago. Today, locals adapt through "Gotong Royong" (mutual cooperation), particularly during the monsoon floods. City infrastructure is increasingly being updated to handle the combination of heavy rains and rising sea levels in the Makassar Strait.

What the Weather "Feels Like"

Beyond the thermometer, the defining characteristic of Makassar's weather is oppressive humidity. For about 11 months of the year, the humidity makes the "RealFeel" temperature significantly higher than the actual reading. Even on a 30°C day, the high dew point can make it feel like 38°C. In the wet season, the air feels thick and heavy, while the dry season brings a dusty, glaring heat that is only mitigated by the refreshing coastal winds in the evening.