March is one of the warmer months of the year in Chennai, with average highs near 34.5°C and lows around 23.7°C (mean 29.1°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 11 mm of rainfall and 66% relative humidity across the period.
March is one of the warmer months of the year in Chennai. Across 45 years of records, the warmest March in Chennai was 2001 — when the month averaged 30.5°C — while the coldest was 1984 at 26.9°C. Typical March days reach 34.5°C with nights near 23.7°C. The long-term March temperature trend is broadly flat.
March is one of the drier months in Chennai, averaging 11 mm of rainfall. The wettest March on record was 2008 with 151 mm, while the driest were 2011, 2021 and 2024, among others at 0 mm.
Relative humidity in Chennai during March averages 66%. The most humid March was 2008 at 77%, and the least humid was 2014 at 60%.
March receives about 6.2 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Chennai. The sunniest March was 2011 at 6.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1984 at 5.6.
Average wind speed in Chennai during March is 3 m/s. The windiest Marchs were 1983 and 1990 at 3.7 m/s, while the calmest was 2021 at 2.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 28.9°C | 29.3°C | 29.0°C | 29.3°C | 29.0°C | +0.1°C |
| Avg High | 34.4°C | 35.1°C | 34.3°C | 34.6°C | 34.1°C | -0.3°C |
| Avg Low | 23.5°C | 23.5°C | 23.8°C | 23.9°C | 23.8°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 10 mm | 4 mm | 22 mm | 7 mm | 13 mm | +3 mm |
March temperatures in Chennai have stayed relatively stable across the record.
March has ranged from a record low of 18.8°C (2000) to a record high of 39.4°C (2001).
Rainfall in March is one of the drier months, averaging 11 mm, with a wettest year of 151 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs fell about 0.1°C per decade while lows rose 0.1°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
One of the best times to visit Chennai
March is one of the best times to visit Chennai. Expect days averaging 34.5°C and nights around 23.7°C (mean 29.1°C) — close to Chennai's yearly average — with low rainfall (11 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34.0°C | 28.8°C | 23.7°C | 37.4°C | 20.0°C | 15 mm | 70% | 2.6 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2024 | 35.1°C | 29.6°C | 24.1°C | 37.4°C | 22.7°C | 0 mm | 64% | 3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2023 | 33.0°C | 28.5°C | 24.0°C | 35.4°C | 21.5°C | 60 mm | 71% | 2.9 m/s | 6 |
| 2022 | 34.3°C | 29.1°C | 23.9°C | 37.2°C | 21.2°C | 3 mm | 68% | 2.9 m/s | 6 |
| 2021 | 33.5°C | 28.3°C | 23.0°C | 38.4°C | 20.3°C | 0 mm | 70% | 2.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2020 | 34.8°C | 29.5°C | 24.2°C | 36.9°C | 23.0°C | 1 mm | 63% | 2.9 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2019 | 35.8°C | 30.2°C | 24.6°C | 38.4°C | 22.9°C | 0 mm | 62% | 3.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2018 | 34.2°C | 28.8°C | 23.4°C | 36.6°C | 19.7°C | 21 mm | 67% | 2.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2017 | 34.9°C | 29.7°C | 24.5°C | 37.1°C | 20.4°C | 7 mm | 65% | 3.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2016 | 34.9°C | 29.7°C | 24.5°C | 38.4°C | 22.8°C | 0 mm | 66% | 3.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2015 | 34.1°C | 29.1°C | 24.1°C | 36.8°C | 21.5°C | 3 mm | 66% | 2.9 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2014 | 34.7°C | 29.2°C | 23.7°C | 38.5°C | 22.0°C | 1 mm | 60% | 3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2013 | 34.0°C | 28.7°C | 23.5°C | 36.9°C | 21.0°C | 35 mm | 68% | 3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2012 | 34.9°C | 29.6°C | 24.3°C | 37.2°C | 22.4°C | 1 mm | 68% | 3.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2011 | 33.8°C | 28.3°C | 22.8°C | 37.5°C | 20.0°C | 0 mm | 67% | 2.7 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2010 | 35.1°C | 29.5°C | 24.0°C | 37.9°C | 20.2°C | 0 mm | 67% | 3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2009 | 34.4°C | 28.7°C | 23.1°C | 36.8°C | 21.2°C | 18 mm | 66% | 2.6 m/s | 6 |
| 2008 🌧️ | 30.9°C | 27.2°C | 23.4°C | 33.1°C | 19.8°C | 151 mm | 77% | 2.4 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2007 | 34.8°C | 29.1°C | 23.4°C | 37.9°C | 21.8°C | 0 mm | 64% | 3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2006 | 33.7°C | 28.9°C | 24.1°C | 37.0°C | 21.8°C | 33 mm | 70% | 2.6 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2005 | 35.0°C | 29.9°C | 24.9°C | 38.0°C | 22.8°C | 3 mm | 65% | 3.1 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2004 | 35.4°C | 29.5°C | 23.5°C | 37.6°C | 20.4°C | 3 mm | 64% | 3.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2003 | 34.9°C | 29.4°C | 24.0°C | 37.2°C | 21.7°C | 13 mm | 65% | 3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2002 | 34.0°C | 28.7°C | 23.3°C | 36.9°C | 20.8°C | 0 mm | 71% | 2.8 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2001 🔥 | 36.0°C | 30.5°C | 25.1°C | 39.4°C | 22.8°C | 0 mm | 61% | 3.3 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2000 | 33.6°C | 28.3°C | 23.0°C | 34.9°C | 18.8°C | 2 mm | 71% | 2.7 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1999 | 36.0°C | 29.8°C | 23.6°C | 38.6°C | 20.0°C | 0 mm | 64% | 3.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1998 | 35.2°C | 29.8°C | 24.4°C | 37.5°C | 23.1°C | 0 mm | 66% | 3.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1997 | 34.4°C | 28.8°C | 23.1°C | 36.8°C | 20.1°C | 3 mm | 68% | 3.1 m/s | 6 |
| 1996 | 35.5°C | 29.2°C | 23.0°C | 39.3°C | 20.3°C | 0 mm | 62% | 3.2 m/s | 6 |
| 1995 | 33.7°C | 28.6°C | 23.5°C | 36.8°C | 21.1°C | 11 mm | 68% | 2.7 m/s | 6 |
| 1994 | 34.5°C | 28.6°C | 22.7°C | 38.0°C | 19.5°C | 0 mm | 68% | 2.8 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1993 | 35.1°C | 29.5°C | 24.0°C | 38.1°C | 22.0°C | 3 mm | 65% | 3.4 m/s | 6 |
| 1992 | 35.8°C | 28.6°C | 21.4°C | 38.2°C | 19.4°C | 0 mm | 61% | 2.9 m/s | 6 |
| 1991 | 35.9°C | 30.0°C | 24.0°C | 38.4°C | 22.4°C | 0 mm | 63% | 3.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1990 | 35.1°C | 30.2°C | 25.3°C | 37.6°C | 23.5°C | 19 mm | 67% | 3.7 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1989 | 34.3°C | 28.7°C | 23.1°C | 37.7°C | 20.7°C | 25 mm | 64% | 3.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1988 | 35.3°C | 30.2°C | 25.1°C | 38.3°C | 22.7°C | 3 mm | 67% | 3.1 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1987 | 34.6°C | 29.0°C | 23.4°C | 36.8°C | 21.1°C | 17 mm | 62% | 3 m/s | 6 |
| 1986 | 33.2°C | 28.2°C | 23.2°C | 37.2°C | 21.7°C | 15 mm | 72% | 3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1985 | 34.9°C | 29.1°C | 23.4°C | 36.8°C | 19.1°C | 1 mm | 66% | 3.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1984 ❄️ | 31.4°C | 26.9°C | 22.3°C | 34.0°C | 20.4°C | 22 mm | 76% | 2.4 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1983 | 36.5°C | 30.2°C | 23.9°C | 38.7°C | 22.1°C | 0 mm | 61% | 3.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 35.0°C | 29.2°C | 23.3°C | 37.3°C | 21.9°C | 0 mm | 65% | 3.3 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 34.0°C | 28.8°C | 23.6°C | 36.2°C | 19.6°C | 10 mm | 68% | 3.1 m/s | — |
Actual recorded March data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in March is around 34.5°C with lows near 23.7°C (mean 29.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
March averages 11 mm of rainfall in Chennai, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 151 mm in 2008.
The hottest March reached 39.4°C in 2001. The coldest dipped to 18.8°C in 2000.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average March temperatures have risen by about 0.1°C — but days and nights have moved in opposite directions. Overnight lows rose from 23.3°C to 23.7°C while daytime highs eased from 34.4°C to 34°C, narrowing the gap between day and night.
March is one of the warmer months of the year in Chennai and one of the drier months, so plan for around 34.5°C daytime highs and 23.7°C at night.
Not quite — March is the 7th coolest month in Chennai, averaging 29.1°C.
For March in Chennai, pack light, breathable clothing and sun protection, with typical highs of 34.5°C and lows of 23.7°C.
Relative humidity in March averages 66% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in March is 3 m/s. The windiest March on record averaged 3.7 m/s (1983).
The wettest March on record was 2008 with 151 mm. On average, March sees 11 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 March, 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 March specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
