Chennai is rarely comfortable to be outside at midday. It comes closest in mid December, and even then it is too hot. For sun, aim for mid December to mid February.
When to go five ratings · thirty-six ten-day sections · click a cell to read it
The sun season here runs from mid December to mid February. It peaks in mid January, at 76. The weakest stretch is from April to mid June, when it drops to 1, mostly because it is too hot. The clearest skies come in April, when the sky is typically 37% covered at midday (partly cloudy).
Being outside is not what Chennai is for: the Easy outdoors rating tops out at 13, mostly because it is too hot.
Walking is not what Chennai is for: the Active outdoors rating tops out at 7, mostly because it is too warm.
The year, measured
The average temperature in Chennai over the whole year is 29°C. May is the hottest month, with highs of about 36°C; January is the coldest, with lows of about 23°C. The rainy (wet) season in Chennai runs from August to December, peaking in November with a 68% chance of rain on a given day. The dry season is January to February; February is the driest month, at 10%. Winds in Chennai are highest in June, averaging 2.7 m/s (10 km/h), and lightest in October, at 1.7 m/s (6 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the SW. The clearest skies in Chennai come in March, when the sky is typically 34% covered; July is the cloudiest month, at 68%.
Month by month Chennai climate by month: average temperatures year round · click a month to read it
| Month | High | Low | Feels like | Chance of rain | Cloud | Wind | Being outside | Sun | Walking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29°C | 23°C | 31°C | 35% | 46% | 1.8 m/s | 7 | 73 | 0 |
| February | 31°C | 23°C | 33°C | 10% | 35% | 1.8 m/s | 2 | 60 | 0 |
| March | 33°C | 26°C | 36°C | 46% | 34% | 1.9 m/s | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| April | 35°C | 28°C | 39°C | 44% | 36% | 2.3 m/s | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| May | 36°C | 29°C | 40°C | 47% | 48% | 2.5 m/s | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| June | 35°C | 29°C | 38°C | 48% | 59% | 2.7 m/s | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| July | 33°C | 28°C | 37°C | 36% | 68% | 2.6 m/s | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| August | 33°C | 28°C | 37°C | 41% | 67% | 2.4 m/s | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| September | 33°C | 27°C | 37°C | 46% | 67% | 2.2 m/s | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| October | 32°C | 26°C | 36°C | 52% | 62% | 1.7 m/s | 1 | 13 | 0 |
| November | 29°C | 25°C | 33°C | 68% | 66% | 1.9 m/s | 4 | 37 | 0 |
| December | 28°C | 24°C | 31°C | 54% | 58% | 2.3 m/s | 8 | 61 | 3 |
High and low are the warmest and coolest of four readings a day — midnight, 6am, noon and 6pm — so a true overnight low can sit a degree or two under them. Chance of rain, cloud and wind are the day’s average; feels-like and the three ratings (each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80) are read at midday.
Seasons, and the year in short Chennai weather by season
Year round, Chennai has days of about 28°C at their warmest in December, its coolest month, and 36°C in May, its warmest; the coolest hours of the day run from 23°C to 29°C through the year, and the average temperature over the year is 29°C around the clock. Rain is most likely around November and least likely around February. Every figure here is a decade of observations blended into one representative year, so it reads as what this date is usually like, not a forecast for one particular day.
Chennai weather in winterDecember to February
Winter in Chennai has typical daily highs of about 29°C and lows of about 23°C, with a 33% chance of rain on a given day.
Chennai weather in springMarch to May
Spring in Chennai has typical daily highs of about 34°C and lows of about 28°C, with a 46% chance of rain on a given day.
Chennai weather in summerJune to August
Summer in Chennai has typical daily highs of about 34°C and lows of about 28°C, with a 42% chance of rain on a given day.
Chennai weather in autumnSeptember to November
Autumn in Chennai has typical daily highs of about 31°C and lows of about 26°C, with a 56% chance of rain on a given day.
When is the rainy season in Chennai?
The rainy (wet) season in Chennai runs from August to December, peaking in November with a 68% chance of rain on a given day. The dry season is January to February; February is the driest month, at 10%.
What time of year is Chennai windiest?
Winds in Chennai are highest in June, averaging 2.7 m/s (10 km/h), and lightest in October, at 1.7 m/s (6 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the SW.
What is the average temperature in Chennai year round?
The average temperature in Chennai over the whole year is 29°C. May is the hottest month, with highs of about 36°C; January is the coldest, with lows of about 23°C.
Where to go instead in late February, the weakest time here for being outside
How this is worked out
Every figure is a decade of weather-station observations blended into one typical year, in ten-day sections. The ratings, the chart and the feels-like column are read at midday local solar time. Being outside is the Easy outdoors rating, Sun is Sunbathing and Walking is Active outdoors, each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80. They describe what a time of year is usually like here, not a forecast. The dotted links open the map at that time of year; set its time of day to midday to see these numbers.