Climate and Weather in Chennai

Climate

You could say there are three seasons in Chennai’s climate – hot, hotter, and hottest!  The concept of winter is alien to Chennaiites who suffer through some of the most intensely humid and uncomfortably warm conditions in the country.  The worst time to visit is during May and early June when temperatures can skyrocket to 42 C (107 degrees Fahrenheit.)  This is also the time when the city’s dreaded power cuts and water shortages make their stubborn presence felt.   

Even Chennaiites who’ve lived in the region for decades aren’t immune to the city’s extreme summers.  Chennai does not enjoy the southwest monsoons that are eagerly welcomed across coastal India in June.  Instead, the northeast monsoons come visiting between October and December.  This is when the parched city receives a brief respite and its annual rainfall quota of about 130 cm.  The monsoons also occasionally create cyclonic storms in the Bay of Bengal that blow in towards the city.  The rains amp up humidity levels until January rolls around when the sweatiness gives way to more bearable weather.   

Beating the Heat

If you find yourself stuck in the furnace that is Chennai in summer, take precautions to avoid the heat strokes that are a common malady in these months.  Drink plenty of coconut water – it’s cheap and the vendor will slice one right in front of you so you can be assured of hygiene.  Although they may look too tempting to resist, avoid the cut melons and juices sold at roadside stalls - summer brings along with it hordes of flies and all kinds of wonderful tropical diseases. Keep a pack of oral rehydration salts with you at all times and always step out armed with an umbrella.  Use plenty of sunscreen and always, always wear cottons.