December is one of the cooler months of the year in Chennai, with average highs near 28.8°C and lows around 19.6°C (mean 24.2°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 142 mm of rainfall and 81% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Chennai. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Chennai was 1997 — when the month averaged 25.7°C — while the coldest was 1981 at 22.5°C. Typical December days reach 28.8°C with nights near 19.6°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 24.0°C | 24.0°C | 23.9°C | 24.5°C | 24.7°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg High | 28.5°C | 28.5°C | 28.6°C | 29.4°C | 29.3°C | +0.8°C |
| Avg Low | 19.5°C | 19.5°C | 19.3°C | 19.7°C | 20.1°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Rain | 126 mm | 165 mm | 104 mm | 133 mm | 207 mm | +81 mm |
December temperatures in Chennai have risen by about 1°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of 17.2°C (1981) to a record high of 30.7°C (2018).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 142 mm, with a wettest year of 408 mm.
One of the best times to visit Chennai
December is one of the best times to visit Chennai. Expect days averaging 28.8°C and nights around 19.6°C (mean 24.2°C) — cooler than Chennai's yearly average — with higher rainfall (142 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | High | Low | Avg | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28.6°C | 19.4°C | 24.0°C | 161 mm | 81% | 3.5 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 29.6°C | 20.3°C | 25.0°C | 226 mm | 87% | 3.7 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2023 | 30.1°C | 20.9°C | 25.5°C | 303 mm | 84% | 4 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2022 | 29.1°C | 20.8°C | 25.0°C | 209 mm | 85% | 3.5 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2021 | 30.2°C | 18.8°C | 24.5°C | 131 mm | 81% | 3 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2020 | 28.1°C | 20.6°C | 24.3°C | 214 mm | 82% | 3.5 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2019 | 28.6°C | 21.9°C | 25.2°C | 136 mm | 82% | 3.2 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2018 | 30.7°C | 19.8°C | 25.3°C | 56 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2017 | 29.1°C | 19.5°C | 24.3°C | 23 mm | 80% | 3.1 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2016 | 30.2°C | 18.1°C | 24.1°C | 198 mm | 76% | 3.2 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2015 | 29.0°C | 19.9°C | 24.5°C | 277 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2014 | 28.6°C | 19.7°C | 24.1°C | 138 mm | 83% | 3.6 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2013 | 29.6°C | 18.9°C | 24.2°C | 38 mm | 76% | 3.7 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2012 | 29.1°C | 21.1°C | 25.1°C | 140 mm | 81% | 3.5 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2011 | 29.2°C | 19.0°C | 24.1°C | 137 mm | 81% | 3.6 m/s | 4 |
| 2010 | 29.4°C | 18.9°C | 24.1°C | 183 mm | 83% | 3.4 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2009 | 28.2°C | 21.4°C | 24.8°C | 160 mm | 83% | 3.5 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2008 | 28.1°C | 18.8°C | 23.5°C | 18 mm | 79% | 2.8 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2007 | 28.5°C | 17.8°C | 23.2°C | 176 mm | 82% | 3.3 m/s | 4 |
| 2006 | 28.4°C | 19.8°C | 24.1°C | 37 mm | 78% | 3.3 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2005 | 28.0°C | 19.1°C | 23.6°C | 289 mm | 86% | 4.1 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2004 | 28.4°C | 19.2°C | 23.8°C | 16 mm | 78% | 3.2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2003 | 30.5°C | 20.0°C | 25.2°C | 44 mm | 76% | 3.5 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2002 | 28.3°C | 18.6°C | 23.4°C | 47 mm | 81% | 2.9 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2001 | 28.3°C | 19.4°C | 23.8°C | 188 mm | 79% | 3.5 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2000 | 28.8°C | 18.5°C | 23.6°C | 69 mm | 79% | 3.5 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1999 | 28.3°C | 18.8°C | 23.6°C | 81 mm | 79% | 3.6 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1998 | 29.2°C | 19.4°C | 24.3°C | 239 mm | 79% | 3.8 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1997 🔥 | 29.4°C | 22.0°C | 25.7°C | 331 mm | 85% | 2.9 m/s | 3.7 |
| 1996 🌧️ | 28.8°C | 18.1°C | 23.4°C | 408 mm | 83% | 3.7 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1995 | 28.6°C | 19.8°C | 24.2°C | 12 mm | 74% | 3.3 m/s | 4 |
| 1994 | 27.4°C | 18.0°C | 22.7°C | 205 mm | 77% | 3.2 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1993 | 27.6°C | 20.1°C | 23.8°C | 247 mm | 84% | 3.9 m/s | 3.6 |
| 1992 | 27.7°C | 18.6°C | 23.2°C | 107 mm | 78% | 3.6 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1991 | 28.8°C | 20.0°C | 24.4°C | 11 mm | 81% | 3.1 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1990 | 29.3°C | 20.3°C | 24.8°C | 5 mm | 79% | 3.8 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1989 | 28.3°C | 19.7°C | 24.0°C | 111 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1988 | 28.5°C | 19.9°C | 24.2°C | 97 mm | 81% | 3.2 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1987 | 29.2°C | 20.1°C | 24.7°C | 269 mm | 84% | 4 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1986 | 28.6°C | 20.2°C | 24.4°C | 77 mm | 81% | 3.4 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1985 | 27.9°C | 19.1°C | 23.5°C | 113 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1984 | 29.1°C | 18.7°C | 23.9°C | 63 mm | 80% | 3 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1983 | 28.4°C | 20.7°C | 24.5°C | 246 mm | 83% | 3.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 29.1°C | 20.0°C | 24.6°C | 22 mm | 76% | 3.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 ❄️ | 27.8°C | 17.2°C | 22.5°C | 137 mm | 82% | 3.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 28.8°C with lows near 19.6°C (mean 24.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 142 mm of rainfall in Chennai, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 408 mm in 1996.
The hottest December reached 30.7°C in 2018. The coldest dipped to 17.2°C in 1981.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 1°C. Daytime highs moved from 28.5°C to 29.5°C and overnight lows from 19.1°C to 20°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Chennai and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 28.8°C daytime highs and 19.6°C at night.
Yes — December is the coldest month of the year in Chennai, averaging 24.2°C.
For December in Chennai, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 28.8°C and lows of 19.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 81% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 3.4 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 4.1 m/s (2005).
The wettest December on record was 1996 with 408 mm. On average, December sees 142 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Chennai behaves each December, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for December specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
