Chennai weather in August

In August, Chennai sees average daytime highs of 33°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 93 mm of rain across 14.9 wet days and about 12.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in August, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 36 min at the start of August to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Chennai's 11th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chennai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
33°
5th warmest
Overnight low
27°
8th coldest
Rainfall
93 mm
14.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 24 min
6:00 AM – 6:26 PM
Cloud cover
87%
11th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
4.94 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.1
out of 10

Chennai is city and state capital of Tamil Nadu, India.

Air quality
Very high
PM2.5 36 µg/m³ · 2019
Founded
1639

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°C through the month.

A typical August day in Chennai reaches about 33°C in the afternoon and slips back to 27°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 31°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, August runs about 1°C cooler than July and on par with September.

25°28°30°33°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13327
23327
33327
43327
53327
63327
73327
83327
93327
103327
113327
123327
133327
143327
153327
163227
173227
183227
193227
203227
213227
223227
233227
243227
253227
263227
273227
283227
293227
303227
313227

How August really feels in Chennai

Once humidity and wind are folded in, August averages 31 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
31
6 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in August is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Chennai weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 23°143.111.37.7
Feb29° / 23°61.511.67.0
Mar31° / 25°81.311.95.9
Apr33° / 27°152.412.34.6
May34° / 29°38412.63.4
Jun34° / 28°671112.82.7
Jul33° / 28°7014.212.72.8
Aug33° / 27°9314.912.43.1
Sep32° / 27°10316.412.13.3
Oct30° / 26°20819.111.73.8
Nov28° / 25°22816.511.44.9
Dec27° / 24°1179.111.26.6

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 89%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1694
2694
3694
4694
5595
6595
7694
8694
9694
10694
11793
12793
13991
14991
151090
161189
171189
181288
191387
201387
211486
221684
231684
241684
251783
261783
271783
281783
291882
301882
311882

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Chennai gets around 93 mm of rain over 14.9 wet days in August. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 49% and peaks near 52% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
145
245
345
445
545
645
746
846
947
1048
1148
1249
1350
1451
1551
1652
1752
1852
1952
2052
2152
2251
2351
2450
2550
2649
2749
2849
2949
3049
3149

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of August feels miserable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, August lands in the miserable band about 52% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
155837
255738
355639
455540
545541
645442
745343
835245
935146
1035047
1134849
1234750
1324652
1424553
1524454
1624355
1724256
1824157
1924058
2024058
2114059
2214059
2314059
2414059
2514059
2613960
2713960
2803961
2903862
3003862
3103763

Wind in August

Winds average 13 km/h in August.

Across August, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 36 min at the start of August to 12 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 5:57 AM to 6:01 AM, and sunset from 6:33 PM to 6:17 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.65:576:33
212.65:586:32
312.65:586:32
412.65:586:31
512.55:586:31
612.55:586:31
712.55:596:30
812.55:596:30
912.55:596:30
1012.55:596:29
1112.55:596:29
1212.55:596:28
1312.55:596:28
1412.56:006:27
1512.46:006:27
1612.46:006:26
1712.46:006:26
1812.46:006:25
1912.46:006:24
2012.46:006:24
2112.46:006:23
2212.46:006:23
2312.46:006:22
2412.36:016:22
2512.36:016:21
2612.36:016:20
2712.36:016:20
2812.36:016:19
2912.36:016:18
3012.36:016:18
3112.36:016:17

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 4.94 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.12 kWh/m² to a high of 6.63 kWh/m² in April across the year — August's 4.94 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.8Bright
24.8Bright
34.8Bright
44.8Bright
54.8Bright
64.8Bright
74.9Bright
84.9Bright
94.9Bright
104.9Bright
114.9Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
145.0Bright
155.0Bright
165.0Bright
175.0Bright
185.0Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
255.1Bright
265.1Bright
275.1Bright
285.1Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in August

Hazard calendar for Chennai

In seasonPeak

None of Chennai's seasonal hazards are active in August. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Chennai sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.

Chennai's monsoon runs September–December, when most of the year's rain falls.

Cyclone
Monsoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is August a good time to visit Chennai?

Our two travel scores rate August for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

3.1
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
5.2
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

August is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Chennai.

What to pack for Chennai in August

From August's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In August, Chennai sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 15 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Chennai in August

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in August — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in May at about 29°C and coldest in January near 27°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar28Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Chennai in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Chennai peaks around July 24 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 7 (high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highJul 24UV 13Dec 21UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan7Very high
Feb10Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Chennai in August

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where August falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Chennai is worst in January — around 51 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.0× the cleanest month (April, 25 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Chennai's WHO annual average of 36 µg/m³.

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModeratePoorJan 1650 µg/m³Apr 1826 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan51Poor
Feb45Poor
Mar35Poor
Apr25Moderate
May30Moderate
Jun29Moderate
Jul27Moderate
Aug29Moderate
Sep33Moderate
Oct41Poor
Nov41Poor
Dec45Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Chennai?

Chennai sits at 13.1°N, 80.3°E, 14 m above sea level, in India. The nearest listed city is Manali, 9.0 km away.

BengaluruPoint PedroValvedditturaiJaffnaMysoreMaduraiMullaittivu

Topography around Chennai

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Chennai.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Chennai has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 20 m around an average of 7 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 83 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 881 m.

The land around Chennai is covered by artificial surfaces (65%) within 3 km, water (47%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 16 km, and water (40%) and cropland (29%) within 80 km.

3 km
20 m
16 km
83 m
80 km
881 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
August weather nearby: Manali 9.0 km · Bengaluru 291 km · Point Pedro 364 km · Valvedditturai 364 km · Jaffna 381 km · Mysore 404 km · Madurai 424 km · Mullaittivu 429 km

India travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / D / M
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 23% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$2,702
2025
Happiness
4.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
76%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
2.8
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
15.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 484
Religion
Hindu 80%Muslim 14%Christian 2%other and unspecified 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Chennai (13.0878°, 80.2785°, elevation 14 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).