Chennai weather in May

In May, Chennai sees average daytime highs of 34°C and overnight lows near 29°C, with 38 mm of rain across 4 wet days and about 12.6 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 34°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Chennai's 5th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chennai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
34°
1st warmest
Overnight low
29°
12th coldest
Rainfall
38 mm
4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
5:47 AM – 6:23 PM
Cloud cover
51%
5th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
6.51 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.4
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 May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 34°C through the month.

A typical May day in Chennai reaches about 34°C in the afternoon and slips back to 29°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 32°C and 36°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C warmer than April and on par with June.

25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13328
23328
33428
43428
53428
63428
73428
83428
93429
103429
113429
123429
133429
143429
153429
163429
173429
183429
193429
203429
213429
223529
233529
243529
253529
263529
273529
283529
293529
303429
313429

How May really feels in Chennai

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May 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
31 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

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

Chennai weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 1st-warmest and 8th-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 May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 42%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
26931
36832
46733
56733
66634
76634
86436
96337
106238
116139
126040
136040
145941
155941
165941
175743
185743
195644
205644
215545
225446
235347
245347
255248
265149
275050
284951
294852
304555
314456

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Chennai gets around 38 mm of rain over 4 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 14% and peaks near 24% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
19
29
310
410
510
610
711
811
912
1012
1112
1212
1312
1412
1512
1612
1712
1812
1912
2013
2113
2214
2314
2415
2516
2617
2718
2820
2921
3023
3124

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the miserable band about 88% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1496
2496
3496
4496
5595
6595
7694
8793
9793
10892
11991
121090
131189
141189
151288
161387
171387
181486
191486
201486
211585
221585
231585
241684
251684
261684
271783
281783
291882
301882
311981

Wind in May

Winds average 15 km/h in May, the windiest month of the year.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 16 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
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:52 AM to 5:45 AM, and sunset from 6:20 PM to 6:28 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:526:20
212.55:526:20
312.55:516:20
412.55:516:20
512.55:516:21
612.55:506:21
712.55:506:21
812.55:496:21
912.55:496:21
1012.55:496:22
1112.65:486:22
1212.65:486:22
1312.65:486:22
1412.65:486:23
1512.65:476:23
1612.65:476:23
1712.65:476:23
1812.65:476:24
1912.65:466:24
2012.65:466:24
2112.65:466:25
2212.65:466:25
2312.75:466:25
2412.75:466:25
2512.75:456:26
2612.75:456:26
2712.75:456:26
2812.75:456:27
2912.75:456:27
3012.75:456:27
3112.75:456:28

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.51 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 — May's 6.51 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.6Intense
26.6Intense
36.6Intense
46.6Intense
56.6Intense
66.6Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.5Intense
116.5Intense
126.5Intense
136.5Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.4Intense
286.3Intense
296.3Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Chennai

In seasonPeak

In May, Chennai sits inside its cyclone 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 May a good time to visit Chennai?

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

3.4
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
6.7
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Chennai. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Chennai in May

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

In May, Chennai sees daytime highs around 34°C and nights near 29°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Chennai in May

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in May — 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 May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 12 (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 May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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