Kota Bharu is warm year-round, with temperatures between 22 and 32 degrees Celsius. The monsoon season runs from September to December, bringing heavy rain and occasional flooding. Outside those months the weather is generally fine, though completely clear skies are rare.
Kelantan's cultural calendar is worth timing a visit around. Traditional kite festivals and top-spinning competitions take place after the rice harvest, usually in the middle of the year. The city's night markets and cultural performances run year-round.