Chennai, India Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Chennai
Temperature barely moves in Chennai - 6°C between the average May and the average January. Rainfall does the work instead: 14.0 inches (356 mm) in November against 5 mm (0.2 in) in February.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: May - highs near 95°F (35°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 82°F (28°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 108°F (42°C) high · 62°F (17°C) low
- Wettest month: November (21 rainy days) · Sunniest: March (11.6 h sun/day)
- Climate type: tropical wet-and-dry
- Annual swing: 6°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 7°C
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 8
- Average humidity: 75%
Temperatures through the year
January bottoms out at 82°F (28°C) in daylight, 72°F (22°C) after dark. May is the warm end of the year, averaging 95°F (35°C) by day and 82°F (28°C) overnight. Average highs hold at or above 30°C for 8 months of the year, March through October being the unbroken run.
Rain, sun and snow
Days and nights are about 7°C apart on average - narrower than about 86% of the cities we track. 3 months average under 20 mm of rain, the longest unbroken stretch running February through April. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 108°F (42°C) and bottoms at 62°F (17°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
How Chennai compares
- Chennai averages 82°F (28°C) across the year - warmer than any other city in our 3496-city dataset.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 82° | 72° | 6 | 1.1 in | 10.4 h/day | 11.4 h | 18% | 75% |
| February | 85° | 72° | 1 | 0.2 in | 11.3 h/day | 11.7 h | 5% | 74% |
| March | 89° | 75° | 2 | 0.4 in | 11.6 h/day | 12.0 h | 7% | 75% |
| April | 93° | 80° | 3 | 0.5 in | 11.6 h/day | 12.4 h | 9% | 76% |
| May | 95° | 82° | 6 | 3.2 in | 10.8 h/day | 12.7 h | 18% | 72% |
| June | 95° | 82° | 12 | 2.7 in | 9.6 h/day | 12.9 h | 39% | 67% |
| July | 93° | 80° | 17 | 4.4 in | 8.6 h/day | 12.8 h | 54% | 69% |
| August | 92° | 79° | 19 | 5.3 in | 9.0 h/day | 12.6 h | 61% | 73% |
| September | 90° | 79° | 20 | 5.6 in | 9.1 h/day | 12.2 h | 65% | 77% |
| October | 88° | 77° | 20 | 7.4 in | 9.5 h/day | 11.8 h | 65% | 80% |
| November | 83° | 75° | 21 | 14.0 in | 8.1 h/day | 11.5 h | 70% | 83% |
| December | 82° | 74° | 12 | 6.9 in | 9.5 h/day | 11.4 h | 40% | 79% |
Chennai month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Chennai's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 10.4 h
- Daylight
- 11.4 h
February
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 11.7 h
March
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.0 h
April
- Rain
- 3 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
May
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 12.7 h
June
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 9.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.9 h
July
- Rain
- 17 days
- Sunshine
- 8.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.8 h
August
- Rain
- 19 days
- Sunshine
- 9.0 h
- Daylight
- 12.6 h
September
- Rain
- 20 days
- Sunshine
- 9.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.2 h
October
- Rain
- 20 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
November
- Rain
- 21 days
- Sunshine
- 8.1 h
- Daylight
- 11.5 h
December
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 11.4 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Chennai
March through May
Through March through May, Chennai is punishingly hot: 92°F (34°C) by day, 79°F (26°C) after dark, and rain comes on about 10 days over the three months. Daylight is generous - around 11.3 hours of sun a day. With the moisture factored in, afternoons feel hotter than the reading suggests - the humidity and dew point converter shows why.
June through August
Through June through August, Chennai runs at full heat: 93°F (34°C) by day, 81°F (27°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 48 of the 90 days.
September through November
September through November brings hot afternoons here - highs near 87°F (31°C), nights near 77°F (25°C), and rain falls on around 61 of the 90 days.
December through February
Through December through February, Chennai sits firmly in the heat: 83°F (29°C) by day, 72°F (22°C) after dark, and expect showers on roughly 20 days across the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.4 hours of sun a day.
Climate questions, answered
How much do temperatures drop at night in Chennai?
Is Chennai cold in winter?
What is the average temperature in Chennai?
How hot does Chennai get in summer?
Does Chennai have seasons?
Best time to visit Chennai
Aim for December to March if you get the choice: humidity and rainfall are at their lowest, which is what actually varies here, and highs average 85°F (29°C) against roughly 5 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in December.
Pack for Chennai with lightweight, breathable clothing and serious sun protection, a compact umbrella or rain shell and moisture-wicking fabrics for the humidity. Note the gap between afternoon and night: May pairs 95°F (35°C) with 82°F (28°C).
Chennai temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.