Chennai climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Chennai?

Chennai has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 27.9 °C and it receives 959 mm of precipitation per year.

Q: What is the hottest day ever recorded in Chennai?

The hottest day measured in Chennai between 1940 and 2025 was 13 May 1956, reaching 39.4 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Chennai?

The coldest day measured in Chennai between 1940 and 2025 was 26 December 1941, at 17.4 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Chennai?

Almost never: Chennai sees virtually no snow, with about 0 frost days per year.

Q: Has the climate of Chennai warmed?

Yes: Chennai warmed by +0.9 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Chennai?

The wettest day measured in Chennai between 1940 and 2025 was 14 June 1996, with 232 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Chennai?

The windiest day measured in Chennai between 1940 and 2025 was 12 December 2016, with winds reaching 65.2 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Chennai?

The warmest month in Chennai is May (30.8 °C on average); the coldest is January (24.6 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Chennai?

Chennai receives on average 959 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 121 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Chennai?

Chennai gets on average 10.1 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,687 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Chennai (India) has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 27.9 °C and it receives 959 mm of precipitation per year.

These figures are normals computed over 86 complete calendar years, from 1940 to 2025, using ERA5 reanalysis data from the Copernicus programme.

The warmest month is May (30.8 °C on average) and the coldest is January (24.6 °C). Rainfall peaks in November.

Chennai averages 0 frost days, 222 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 121 rainy days per year.

Chennai has warmed by +0.9 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.11 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The hottest day of the period reached 39.4 °C (on 13 May 1956) and the coldest 17.4 °C (on 26 December 1941).

Data from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus Climate Change Service), redistributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence. Normals are recomputed whenever the archive is updated.

Climate normals · ERA5

ChennaiTamil Nadu

coords: 13.09°, 80.28°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

AwTropical savannaWarmest monthMayColdest monthJanuaryWettest monthNovemberDriest monthFebruary

Mean daily temperature

27.9°C

Average daily high

30.9°C

Average daily low

25.6°C

Annual rainfall

959mm

Sunshine / day

10.1h

Mean relative humidity

75%

Average peak wind

18.6km/h

Seasonal range

6.2°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

222 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

121 d/yr

Annual snowfall

0.0 cm

Average feels-like high

35.2 °C

Average feels-like low

29.1 °C

Average peak gust

33.1 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

364 d/yr

Solar radiation

19.4 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+0.9 °C

since 1940

+0.1 °C per decade · r² = 0.55 · p = < 0.001

19402025

Trend fitted by linear regression (ordinary least squares) on annual means. A trend is shown only when it is statistically significant (p < 0.05).

A climograph overlays rainfall (bars) and temperature (line): the standard reading in climatology, where you can see at a glance whether the warm season is also the dry one.

Records for the period

Hottest day

39.4 °C

13 May 1956

Coldest day

17.4 °C

26 December 1941

Wettest day

232 mm

14 June 1996

Windiest day

65.2 km/h

12 December 2016

Strongest gust

114.8 km/h

12 December 2016

Hottest feels-like

45.9 °C

16 May 2023

Coldest feels-like

16.4 °C

12 December 2016

Sunniest day

12.7 h

30 May 1998

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days
2025	35.9 °C4 June 2025	21.8 °C20 December 2025	28.6 °C	958 mm	242
2024	36.5 °C31 May 2024	22.7 °C7 February 2024	28.8 °C	1,320 mm	259
2023	36.7 °C16 May 2023	20.8 °C13 February 2023	28.5 °C	1,281 mm	244
2022	35.1 °C29 May 2022	22.1 °C21 November 2022	28.3 °C	1,332 mm	226
2021	36.1 °C12 June 2021	21.6 °C23 December 2021	28.3 °C	1,476 mm	235
2020	37.8 °C20 May 2020	21.6 °C26 January 2020	28.4 °C	1,130 mm	236
2019	36.9 °C9 June 2019	19.9 °C9 January 2019	28.6 °C	881 mm	249
2018	36.1 °C16 July 2018	19.7 °C2 February 2018	28.4 °C	823 mm	231
2017	37.7 °C18 May 2017	20.9 °C8 February 2017	28.6 °C	1,161 mm	236
2016	36.1 °C25 May 2016	21.2 °C2 February 2016	28.5 °C	1,014 mm	252
2015	36.8 °C25 May 2015	21.3 °C13 January 2015	28.4 °C	1,238 mm	231
2014	37.5 °C23 May 2014	20.5 °C6 February 2014	28.4 °C	934 mm	218
2013	38.3 °C25 May 2013	20.8 °C20 December 2013	28.1 °C	856 mm	230
2012	37.1 °C25 May 2012	19.0 °C17 January 2012	28.3 °C	727 mm	241
2011	37.0 °C8 May 2011	19.9 °C10 February 2011	28.1 °C	931 mm	229
2010	36.4 °C27 May 2010	21.3 °C5 January 2010	28.1 °C	1,297 mm	231
2009	36.8 °C21 July 2009	20.0 °C24 January 2009	28.4 °C	850 mm	232
2008	37.1 °C17 May 2008	19.8 °C15 January 2008	27.9 °C	1,134 mm	212
2007	37.3 °C10 May 2007	20.5 °C26 December 2007	27.7 °C	1,235 mm	206
2006	36.5 °C6 July 2006	19.4 °C15 February 2006	28.0 °C	942 mm	224
2005	36.6 °C17 June 2005	20.4 °C11 January 2005	28.0 °C	1,410 mm	225
2004	35.3 °C18 April 2004	20.3 °C15 January 2004	27.8 °C	956 mm	205
2003	37.9 °C30 May 2003	20.3 °C15 December 2003	28.2 °C	616 mm	225
2002	37.4 °C11 May 2002	20.1 °C21 December 2002	28.1 °C	605 mm	228
2001	37.2 °C15 May 2001	20.9 °C7 February 2001	28.2 °C	1,153 mm	225
2000	37.8 °C14 May 2000	20.0 °C23 January 2000	27.9 °C	704 mm	215
1999	36.4 °C14 April 1999	20.0 °C27 January 1999	28.0 °C	645 mm	224
1998	37.9 °C28 May 1998	21.7 °C14 January 1998	28.4 °C	835 mm	235
1997	37.2 °C19 May 1997	19.6 °C1 February 1997	28.0 °C	975 mm	213
1996	37.0 °C13 May 1996	20.1 °C2 December 1996	27.7 °C	1,613 mm	211
1995	36.5 °C7 June 1995	20.6 °C13 February 1995	27.8 °C	915 mm	215
1994	36.5 °C10 May 1994	19.6 °C11 December 1994	27.9 °C	811 mm	219
1993	36.2 °C14 July 1993	19.5 °C19 January 1993	27.8 °C	1,090 mm	218
1992	36.3 °C18 June 1992	18.8 °C7 January 1992	27.7 °C	609 mm	223
1991	37.1 °C29 April 1991	20.4 °C28 January 1991	27.9 °C	890 mm	223
1990	36.3 °C20 April 1990	17.9 °C15 January 1990	27.9 °C	1,136 mm	221
1989	36.5 °C24 May 1989	17.9 °C4 February 1989	27.5 °C	1,025 mm	208
1988	37.2 °C10 May 1988	20.5 °C7 February 1988	28.0 °C	933 mm	225
1987	37.1 °C5 June 1987	20.5 °C30 January 1987	28.0 °C	973 mm	218
1986	37.5 °C18 May 1986	21.1 °C3 February 1986	28.0 °C	916 mm	217
1985	37.5 °C24 May 1985	20.7 °C29 January 1985	27.9 °C	928 mm	219
1984	36.9 °C4 June 1984	19.7 °C12 December 1984	27.7 °C	1,231 mm	210
1983	38.1 °C31 May 1983	20.1 °C10 January 1983	28.0 °C	786 mm	234
1982	36.0 °C28 May 1982	21.1 °C17 January 1982	28.0 °C	444 mm	230
1981	36.9 °C19 May 1981	17.9 °C11 December 1981	27.6 °C	854 mm	201
1980	38.4 °C22 May 1980	20.0 °C5 December 1980	28.0 °C	779 mm	233
1979	36.8 °C28 June 1979	20.9 °C31 December 1979	28.1 °C	810 mm	214
1978	37.1 °C18 May 1978	17.9 °C19 January 1978	27.9 °C	1,014 mm	213
1977	36.1 °C2 June 1977	18.9 °C27 January 1977	27.8 °C	815 mm	199
1976	38.3 °C24 May 1976	19.6 °C18 January 1976	27.6 °C	945 mm	230
1975	36.6 °C10 May 1975	18.8 °C11 January 1975	27.7 °C	1,096 mm	214
1974	35.9 °C2 June 1974	19.6 °C6 February 1974	27.7 °C	515 mm	218
1973	37.7 °C9 May 1973	19.7 °C10 December 1973	28.0 °C	761 mm	218
1972	38.0 °C5 June 1972	19.9 °C2 January 1972	27.8 °C	791 mm	213
1971	36.4 °C4 May 1971	20.0 °C21 December 1971	27.5 °C	870 mm	206
1970	36.5 °C19 May 1970	19.7 °C2 December 1970	27.8 °C	821 mm	220
1969	36.0 °C10 June 1969	18.6 °C27 January 1969	27.9 °C	1,199 mm	216
1968	36.5 °C4 June 1968	20.4 °C19 January 1968	27.7 °C	1,076 mm	202
1967	37.0 °C4 June 1967	18.9 °C7 February 1967	27.5 °C	1,199 mm	195
1966	39.1 °C24 May 1966	19.9 °C14 December 1966	27.4 °C	1,517 mm	191
1965	39.2 °C28 May 1965	19.7 °C14 January 1965	27.5 °C	1,194 mm	216
1964	39.4 °C28 May 1964	19.4 °C14 January 1964	27.7 °C	1,010 mm	221
1963	38.1 °C27 May 1963	19.8 °C13 February 1963	27.6 °C	831 mm	209
1962	36.0 °C25 May 1962	20.4 °C12 January 1962	27.4 °C	921 mm	203
1961	35.9 °C30 June 1961	20.2 °C27 December 1961	27.5 °C	638 mm	220
1960	37.5 °C25 May 1960	19.3 °C4 February 1960	27.7 °C	935 mm	219
1959	37.1 °C27 May 1959	21.4 °C11 February 1959	27.9 °C	673 mm	237
1958	37.9 °C10 June 1958	20.5 °C18 January 1958	28.1 °C	992 mm	242
1957	36.6 °C31 May 1957	19.8 °C23 January 1957	27.7 °C	682 mm	222
1956	39.4 °C13 May 1956	19.6 °C21 January 1956	27.2 °C	1,159 mm	200
1955	36.9 °C7 June 1955	19.8 °C30 December 1955	27.2 °C	1,271 mm	207
1954	37.9 °C28 May 1954	19.0 °C19 January 1954	27.5 °C	934 mm	230
1953	37.7 °C14 May 1953	20.7 °C30 January 1953	27.8 °C	787 mm	214
1952	38.6 °C19 May 1952	20.5 °C21 January 1952	28.2 °C	450 mm	268
1951	37.0 °C13 May 1951	19.7 °C3 January 1951	27.9 °C	882 mm	233
1950	37.6 °C24 May 1950	19.8 °C2 January 1950	27.8 °C	576 mm	245
1949	36.6 °C23 April 1949	20.9 °C31 January 1949	27.5 °C	798 mm	219
1948	37.6 °C21 May 1948	21.8 °C21 January 1948	27.9 °C	1,071 mm	218
1947	36.8 °C24 May 1947	20.5 °C10 February 1947	27.7 °C	827 mm	213
1946	38.7 °C12 May 1946	18.8 °C25 January 1946	27.8 °C	1,132 mm	229
1945	38.6 °C17 May 1945	19.2 °C7 February 1945	27.8 °C	731 mm	230
1944	36.5 °C17 June 1944	20.8 °C26 January 1944	27.6 °C	1,024 mm	203
1943	36.6 °C29 April 1943	20.3 °C22 February 1943	26.9 °C	1,606 mm	195
1942	35.8 °C19 June 1942	18.8 °C1 January 1942	27.1 °C	790 mm	207
1941	38.9 °C24 May 1941	17.4 °C26 December 1941	27.7 °C	1,246 mm	223
1940	37.3 °C3 June 1940	18.3 °C17 January 1940	27.7 °C	549 mm	244

Normals computed over complete calendar years 1940–2025.

A specific year

Pick a year and see how it compares to normal — warmer, drier or more extreme than usual?

Year

Across the whole year

Average daily high

31.2 °C

+0.3 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

242 d/yr

+20

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Annual rainfall

958 mm

-1 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	28.0 °C	+0.8 °C	23 mm	-1 mm
Feb	29.7 °C	+0.9 °C	1 mm	-9 mm
Mar	31.6 °C	+0.8 °C	21 mm	+7 mm
Apr	32.8 °C	+0.1 °C	10 mm	-6 mm
May	33.7 °C	-0.6 °C	66 mm	+27 mm
Jun	34.6 °C	+0.4 °C	28 mm	-23 mm
Jul	33.7 °C	+0.6 °C	100 mm	+28 mm
Aug	32.0 °C	-0.5 °C	102 mm	+9 mm
Sep	32.2 °C	+0.4 °C	57 mm	-46 mm
Oct	30.1 °C	+0.1 °C	250 mm	+60 mm
Nov	29.1 °C	+1.0 °C	203 mm	-25 mm
Dec	27.5 °C	+0.4 °C	99 mm	-22 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

35.9 °C

4 Jun 2025

Coldest day

21.8 °C

20 Dec 2025

Wettest day

69.6 mm

30 Nov 2025

Windiest day

38.2 km/h

1 Dec 2025

Strongest gust

57.2 km/h

26 May 2025

Hottest feels-like

43.4 °C

12 Apr 2025

Coldest feels-like

24.0 °C

20 Dec 2025

Sunniest day

12.6 h

8 Jun 2025

What was the weather like that day?

Your birthday, a wedding, a memorable trip: discover the actual weather for any date since 1940.

Date

Frequently asked questions

What is the climate of Chennai?

Chennai has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 27.9 °C and it receives 959 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Chennai?

The hottest day measured in Chennai between 1940 and 2025 was 13 May 1956, reaching 39.4 °C.

What is the coldest day in Chennai?

The coldest day measured in Chennai between 1940 and 2025 was 26 December 1941, at 17.4 °C.

Does it snow in Chennai?

Almost never: Chennai sees virtually no snow, with about 0 frost days per year.

Has the climate of Chennai warmed?

Yes: Chennai warmed by +0.9 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Chennai?

The wettest day measured in Chennai between 1940 and 2025 was 14 June 1996, with 232 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Chennai?

The windiest day measured in Chennai between 1940 and 2025 was 12 December 2016, with winds reaching 65.2 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Chennai?

The warmest month in Chennai is May (30.8 °C on average); the coldest is January (24.6 °C).

How much does it rain in Chennai?

Chennai receives on average 959 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 121 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Chennai?

Chennai gets on average 10.1 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,687 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Are there tropical nights in Chennai?

Yes: Chennai has on average 364 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Chennai?

In Chennai, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 45.9 °C on 16 May 2023, and the lowest was 16.4 °C on 12 December 2016.

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