Chennai weather in September

In September, Chennai sees average daytime highs of 32°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 103 mm of rain across 16.4 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 32°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in September, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of September to 11 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Chennai's 9th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chennai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
32°
6th warmest
Overnight low
27°
7th coldest
Rainfall
103 mm
16.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
6:01 AM – 6:05 PM
Cloud cover
76%
9th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.27 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.3
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 September

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 32°C through the month.

A typical September day in Chennai reaches about 32°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 30°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, September runs on par with August and about 2°C warmer than October.

25°28°30°33°35°151015202530
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13227
23227
33227
43227
53227
63227
73227
83227
93227
103227
113227
123227
133227
143227
153227
163227
173227
183227
193227
203227
213227
223227
233227
243227
253227
263227
273127
283127
293127
303127

How September really feels in Chennai

Once humidity and wind are folded in, September averages 30 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
30
22 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

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

Chennai weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 6th-warmest and 4th-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 September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 74%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11882
21981
31981
41981
52080
62179
72179
82179
92179
102179
112179
122278
132377
142377
152476
162674
172674
182773
192773
202971
212971
223169
233169
243268
253367
263466
273664
283664
293763
303862

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Chennai gets around 103 mm of rain over 16.4 wet days in September. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 54% and peaks near 58% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
149
249
350
450
551
651
752
852
953
1053
1153
1253
1353
1453
1553
1653
1753
1854
1954
2054
2155
2255
2355
2456
2556
2656
2757
2857
2958
3058

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, September lands in the miserable band about 75% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
103763
203664
303565
403565
503367
603268
703169
803070
902971
1002872
1102872
1212772
1312673
1412574
1512475
1612475
1712376
1812277
1912178
2012079
2111980
2211881
2311881
2411782
2511782
2611683
2701684
2801585
2901585
3001585

Wind in September

Winds average 12 km/h in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202530
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3010calm

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of September to 11 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 24 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:01 AM to 6:01 AM, and sunset from 6:16 PM to 5:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.36:016:16
212.26:016:16
312.26:016:15
412.26:016:14
512.26:016:13
612.26:016:13
712.26:016:12
812.26:016:11
912.26:016:11
1012.16:016:10
1112.16:016:09
1212.16:016:08
1312.16:016:08
1412.16:016:07
1512.16:016:06
1612.16:016:05
1712.16:016:05
1812.06:016:04
1912.06:016:03
2012.06:016:02
2112.06:016:02
2212.06:016:01
2312.06:016:00
2412.06:015:59
2512.06:015:59
2611.96:015:58
2711.96:015:57
2811.96:015:57
2911.96:015:56
3011.96:015:55

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 5.27 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 — September's 5.27 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.3Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.3Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.2Bright
Planning a trip in September

Hazard calendar for Chennai

In seasonPeak

In September, 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 September a good time to visit Chennai?

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

3.3
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
5.3
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

September is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Chennai.

What to pack for Chennai in September

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

In September, Chennai sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 16 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Chennai in September

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

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 11 (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 September

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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