Chennai weather in December

In December, Chennai sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 117 mm of rain across 9.1 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 18 min at the start of December to 11 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Chennai's 6th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chennai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
12th warmest
Overnight low
24°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
117 mm
9.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
6:28 AM – 5:42 PM
Cloud cover
57%
6th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
4.19 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.6
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 December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month.

A typical December day in Chennai reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C cooler than November and on par with January.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12824
22824
32824
42824
52824
62824
72824
82824
92824
102824
112824
122724
132724
142724
152724
162724
172724
182724
192724
202723
212723
222723
232723
242723
252723
262723
272723
282723
292723
302723
312723

How December really feels in Chennai

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 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
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Chennai weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 12th-warmest and 3rd-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 December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 45%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24951
34951
45149
55149
65248
75248
85248
95248
105248
115248
125347
135347
145347
155446
165347
175446
185446
195545
205545
215545
225644
235842
245941
256040
266238
276337
286436
296436
306634
316634

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Chennai gets around 117 mm of rain over 9.1 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 29% and peaks near 42% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
142
241
340
439
538
638
737
837
936
1035
1134
1233
1333
1432
1531
1630
1729
1827
1926
2025
2124
2223
2322
2422
2521
2620
2720
2819
2919
3018
3118

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the oppressive band about 46% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 92% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
13305611
24315510
3531559
4531568
5631558
6632557
7732547
8733546
9733546
10734545
11835525
12836524
13837514
14838513
15839503
16840492
17842472
18844462
19945441
20947431
21948411
22950401
231050391
241051381
251151371
261152361
271153351
281253341
291254331
301254322
311155322

Wind in December

Winds average 15 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 18 min at the start of December to 11 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:20 AM to 6:35 AM, and sunset from 5:37 PM to 5:49 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.36:205:37
211.36:215:37
311.36:215:38
411.36:225:38
511.36:225:38
611.36:235:38
711.36:235:39
811.36:245:39
911.36:245:39
1011.26:255:40
1111.26:255:40
1211.26:265:40
1311.26:275:41
1411.26:275:41
1511.26:285:42
1611.26:285:42
1711.26:295:42
1811.26:295:43
1911.26:305:43
2011.26:305:44
2111.26:315:44
2211.26:315:45
2311.26:315:45
2411.26:325:46
2511.26:325:46
2611.26:335:47
2711.26:335:47
2811.26:345:48
2911.26:345:48
3011.26:345:49
3111.26:355:49

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.19 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 — December's 4.19 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.1Bright
24.1Bright
34.1Bright
44.1Bright
54.1Bright
64.1Bright
74.1Bright
84.1Bright
94.1Bright
104.1Bright
114.1Bright
124.2Bright
134.2Bright
144.2Bright
154.2Bright
164.2Bright
174.2Bright
184.2Bright
194.2Bright
204.2Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.3Bright
244.3Bright
254.3Bright
264.3Bright
274.4Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.5Bright
314.5Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Chennai

In seasonPeak

In December, Chennai sits inside its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

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 December a good time to visit Chennai?

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

6.6
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
6.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Chennai for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Chennai in December

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

In December, Chennai sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Chennai in December

The nearest coast averages about 27°C in December — 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 December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. 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 December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December 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
December 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).