May is one of the warmer months of the year in Chennai, with average highs near 40.5°C and lows around 26°C (mean 33.3°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 51 mm of rainfall and 64% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Chennai. Across 45 years of records, the warmest Mays in Chennai were 1991 and 1996 — when the month averaged 35.1°C — while the coldest was 2004 at 30.1°C. Typical May days reach 40.5°C with nights near 26°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 33.5°C | 33.5°C | 33.4°C | 33.2°C | 32.7°C | -0.8°C |
| Avg High | 41.0°C | 41.1°C | 40.6°C | 40.1°C | 39.6°C | -1.4°C |
| Avg Low | 25.8°C | 26.0°C | 26.1°C | 26.3°C | 25.8°C | 0°C |
| Avg Rain | 17 mm | 69 mm | 52 mm | 52 mm | 69 mm | +52 mm |
May temperatures in Chennai have fallen by about 0.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 24.3°C (1995) to a record high of 43.3°C (1991).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 51 mm, with a wettest year of 274 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs fell about 0.3°C per decade while lows rose 0.1°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Chennai
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of January and February tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Chennai. That said, May — with days averaging 40.5°C and nights around 26°C (mean 33.3°C) and moderate rainfall (51 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the warmth, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | High | Low | Avg | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37.3°C | 26.2°C | 31.7°C | 96 mm | 68% | 3.2 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2024 | 41.1°C | 26.4°C | 33.7°C | 37 mm | 65% | 3.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2023 | 41.1°C | 25.9°C | 33.5°C | 64 mm | 69% | 2.7 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2022 | 38.9°C | 25.0°C | 32.0°C | 75 mm | 70% | 3.2 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2021 | 38.4°C | 25.5°C | 32.0°C | 53 mm | 67% | 3.5 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2020 | 40.5°C | 25.6°C | 33.0°C | 91 mm | 69% | 3.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2019 | 41.4°C | 27.0°C | 34.2°C | 12 mm | 65% | 3.8 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2018 | 38.3°C | 26.0°C | 32.1°C | 21 mm | 67% | 3.5 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2017 | 41.4°C | 26.7°C | 34.1°C | 14 mm | 60% | 3.5 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2016 | 39.9°C | 26.0°C | 32.9°C | 148 mm | 67% | 3.9 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2015 | 39.7°C | 25.2°C | 32.5°C | 46 mm | 69% | 3.5 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2014 | 39.5°C | 25.8°C | 32.6°C | 65 mm | 68% | 3.4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2013 | 40.4°C | 26.8°C | 33.6°C | 47 mm | 62% | 3.7 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2012 | 40.7°C | 26.8°C | 33.8°C | 22 mm | 61% | 3.7 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2011 | 39.5°C | 26.3°C | 32.9°C | 21 mm | 66% | 3.4 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2010 | 40.2°C | 26.6°C | 33.4°C | 129 mm | 67% | 3.8 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2009 | 41.9°C | 26.0°C | 34.0°C | 39 mm | 64% | 3.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2008 | 41.6°C | 26.9°C | 34.2°C | 12 mm | 56% | 3.9 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2007 | 42.2°C | 27.1°C | 34.6°C | 13 mm | 60% | 3.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2006 | 40.5°C | 25.4°C | 32.9°C | 26 mm | 64% | 3.9 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2005 | 39.1°C | 25.7°C | 32.4°C | 64 mm | 73% | 3.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2004 ❄️ 🌧️ | 35.8°C | 24.3°C | 30.1°C | 274 mm | 80% | 3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2003 | 42.7°C | 26.5°C | 34.6°C | 19 mm | 56% | 3.9 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2002 | 40.8°C | 26.4°C | 33.6°C | 30 mm | 59% | 3.8 m/s | 6 |
| 2001 | 40.7°C | 26.3°C | 33.5°C | 19 mm | 59% | 3.9 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2000 | 40.8°C | 26.3°C | 33.6°C | 26 mm | 61% | 3.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1999 | 38.7°C | 25.7°C | 32.2°C | 33 mm | 66% | 3.5 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1998 | 41.8°C | 25.8°C | 33.8°C | 43 mm | 63% | 3.7 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1997 | 42.7°C | 26.3°C | 34.5°C | 8 mm | 57% | 3.7 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1996 | 43.0°C | 27.1°C | 35.1°C | 20 mm | 55% | 3.9 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1995 | 37.8°C | 24.3°C | 31.0°C | 211 mm | 74% | 3.5 m/s | 5 |
| 1994 | 42.8°C | 26.2°C | 34.5°C | 41 mm | 61% | 4 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1993 | 40.6°C | 26.2°C | 33.4°C | 60 mm | 62% | 4 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1992 | 41.8°C | 26.1°C | 33.9°C | 17 mm | 59% | 3.8 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1991 🔥 | 43.3°C | 26.9°C | 35.1°C | 1 mm | 64% | 4.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1990 | 38.2°C | 25.2°C | 31.7°C | 260 mm | 74% | 4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1989 | 41.9°C | 26.5°C | 34.2°C | 8 mm | 56% | 4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1988 | 41.8°C | 25.9°C | 33.9°C | 33 mm | 61% | 3.7 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1987 | 39.8°C | 25.6°C | 32.7°C | 3 mm | 60% | 3.8 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1986 | 42.5°C | 26.6°C | 34.6°C | 6 mm | 54% | 4.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1985 | 43.1°C | 25.9°C | 34.5°C | 8 mm | 57% | 4.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1984 | 40.2°C | 25.1°C | 32.7°C | 2 mm | 62% | 4.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1983 | 40.4°C | 26.2°C | 33.3°C | 22 mm | 62% | 4.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 40.0°C | 25.8°C | 32.9°C | 9 mm | 61% | 3.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 39.6°C | 25.0°C | 32.3°C | 62 mm | 65% | 3.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 40.5°C with lows near 26°C (mean 33.3°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 51 mm of rainfall in Chennai, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 274 mm in 2004.
The hottest May reached 43.3°C in 1991. The coldest dipped to 24.3°C in 1995.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have fallen by about 0.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 40.7°C to 39.4°C and overnight lows from 25.6°C to 25.8°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Chennai and one of the drier months, so plan for around 40.5°C daytime highs and 26°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 12th coolest month in Chennai, averaging 33.3°C.
For May in Chennai, pack light, breathable clothing and sun protection, with typical highs of 40.5°C and lows of 26°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 64% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in May is 3.7 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 4.4 m/s (1991).
The wettest May on record was 2004 with 274 mm. On average, May sees 51 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 May, 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 May specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
