Chennai weather in January
Temperature, sea and sunshine in January: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in January
Excellent
Best time to visit: January – February
What is the weather like in Chennai in January?
In January, Chennai is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 21 °C. The sea averages 26.6 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 4 days bring 17 mm in total. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, January is an excellent month for a holiday in Chennai.
January compared
How the weather changes from December to February. Tap a month to open it.
| DecemberDec | JanuaryJan | FebruaryFeb | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 72 | 87 | 77 |
| Day | 28° | 28° | 30° |
| Night | 22° | 21° | 21° |
| Sea | 27° | 27° | 27° |
| Sun | 6 h | 7 h | 8 h |
| Rain days | 10 | 4 | 1 |
More details for January
- Daylight
- 11 h 26 min06:35 – 18:00
- UV index
- 8 · very highclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 25 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 17 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 45 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+5:30Asia/Kolkata
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %88 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %65 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %100 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in January
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Insect repellent
Chennai in January: quick answers
Is Chennai hot in January?
Yes. In January, Chennai is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C and nights stay around 21 °C.
Can you swim in Chennai in January?
Yes. In January the sea averages 26.6 °C – lovely and warm for swimming.
Does it rain much in Chennai in January?
Rain is rare: about 4 days bring 17 mm in total.
Chennai month by month
The whole year in ChennaiAll destinations: IndiaWhere to go in JanuarySea temperature in January
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences