Chennai weather in May
Temperature, sea and sunshine in May: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in May
Fair
Best time to visit: January – February
What is the weather like in Chennai in May?
In May, Chennai is very hot: daytime highs average 36 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 28 °C. The sea averages 29.5 °C – almost as warm as a bath. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 5 days bring 44 mm in total. On about 31 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, May is a so-so month for a holiday in Chennai.
May compared
How the weather changes from April to June. Tap a month to open it.
More details for May
- Daylight
- 12 h 43 min05:43 – 18:27
- UV index
- 13 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 31 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 21 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 57 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 31 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+5:30Asia/Kolkata
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %87 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %94 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in May
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Water bottle – drink plenty
- Insect repellent
Chennai in May: quick answers
Is Chennai hot in May?
Yes. In May, Chennai is very hot: daytime highs average 36 °C and nights stay around 28 °C. On about 31 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more.
Can you swim in Chennai in May?
Yes. In May the sea averages 29.5 °C – almost as warm as a bath.
Does it rain much in Chennai in May?
Rain is rare: about 5 days bring 44 mm in total.
Chennai month by month
The whole year in ChennaiAll destinations: IndiaWhere to go in MaySea temperature in May
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