Dec → Feb
30 to 34°
nights 21 to 22°
- 8 rainy days · 67 mm
- 10.3 h of sun
- sea 27°
When is the best time to visit Tamil Nadu?
- Jan31°recommended
- Feb34°recommended
- Mar37°fair
- Apr38°not recommended
- May37°not recommended
- Jun37°not recommended
- Jul36°not recommended
- Aug36°not recommended
- Sep36°not recommended
- Oct33°fair
- Nov30°recommended
- Dec30°recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Tamil Nadu, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31° | 21° | 10.5 h | 54 mm | 7 d | 27° | ✓ |
| February | 34° | 22° | 11.2 h | 9 mm | 2 d | 28° | ✓ |
| March | 37° | 24° | 11.6 h | 12 mm | 3 d | 29° | |
| April | 38° | 26° | 11.3 h | 79 mm | 10 d | 31° | |
| May | 37° | 26° | 10.2 h | 121 mm | 13 d | 31° | |
| June | 37° | 26° | 9.8 h | 88 mm | 12 d | 31° | |
| July | 36° | 25° | 9.2 h | 72 mm | 11 d | 30° | |
| August | 36° | 25° | 9.5 h | 134 mm | 14 d | 29° | |
| September | 36° | 25° | 9.7 h | 83 mm | 14 d | 30° | |
| October | 33° | 24° | 9 h | 258 mm | 23 d | 30° | |
| November | 30° | 23° | 8.2 h | 324 mm | 22 d | 29° | ✓ |
| December | 30° | 22° | 9.2 h | 139 mm | 14 d | 27° | ✓ |
The four seasons in Tamil Nadu, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Meenakshi Temple, Madurai) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Mar → May
37 to 38°
nights 24 to 26°
- 9 rainy days · 71 mm
- 11 h of sun
- sea 30°
Jun → Aug
36 to 37°
nights 25 to 26°
- 12 rainy days · 98 mm
- 9.5 h of sun
- sea 30°
Sep → Nov
30 to 36°
nights 23 to 25°
- 20 rainy days · 222 mm
- 9 h of sun
- sea 30°
Book early for November to February
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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What to do in Tamil Nadu, month by month
EventsPongalJanuaryChennai Music SeasonDecember to JanuaryKarthigai Deepam in TiruvannamalaiNovember to DecemberChithirai festival in MaduraiApril to MayDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
Beach & swimming: good conditions all twelve months.
Diving & snorkelling: good conditions all twelve months.
- Sightseeing & walks: January
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Tamil Nadu, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. These events fill the hotels and push prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- JanuaryPongal
The new rice boils over from pots outside the houses, cows are painted and kolams cover the doorsteps, in mid-January.
- December to JanuaryChennai Music Season
Hundreds of Carnatic music concerts and bharatanatyam dance performances are held in the city's sabhas.
- November to DecemberKarthigai Deepam in Tiruvannamalai big crowds
A giant flame burns at the top of Arunachala hill and pilgrims walk around the mountain, at night.
- April to MayChithirai festival in Madurai big crowds
The wedding of Meenakshi, followed by the god Kallazhagar's passage into the river, draws an immense crowd around the great temple.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Recommended31°21° at night
- 54 mm · 7 d
- 10.5 h
- sea 27°
High season, book early
February
Recommended34°22° at night
- 9 mm · 2 d
- 11.2 h
- sea 28°
High season, book early
March
Fair37°24° at night
- 12 mm · 3 d
- 11.6 h
- sea 29°
Low season, lower prices
April
Not recommended38°26° at night
- 79 mm · 10 d
- 11.3 h
- sea 31°
Busy, without the crush
May
Not recommended37°26° at night
- 121 mm · 13 d
- 10.2 h
- sea 31°
Busy, without the crush
June
Not recommended37°26° at night
- 88 mm · 12 d
- 9.8 h
- sea 31°
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended36°25° at night
- 72 mm · 11 d
- 9.2 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
August
Not recommended36°25° at night
- 134 mm · 14 d
- 9.5 h
- sea 29°
Low season, lower prices
September
Not recommended36°25° at night
- 83 mm · 14 d
- 9.7 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
October
Fair33°24° at night
- 258 mm · 23 d
- 9 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
November
Recommended30°23° at night
- 324 mm · 22 d
- 8.2 h
- sea 29°
High season, book early
December
Recommended30°22° at night
- 139 mm · 14 d
- 9.2 h
- sea 27°
High season, book early
Read the twelve months in detail
January. 31 °C in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. Rain stays light: 54 mm over 7 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.5 h a day on average. The sea is at 27 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
February. Real heat: 34 °C at the warmest of the day, 22 °C at night. Hardly any rain (9 mm over 2 days). Plenty of sunshine: 11.2 h a day on average. The sea is at 28 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
March. Real heat: 37 °C at the warmest of the day, 24 °C at night. Hardly any rain (12 mm over 3 days). Plenty of sunshine: 11.6 h a day on average. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Real heat: 38 °C at the warmest of the day, 26 °C at night. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (79 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 11.3 h a day on average. The sea is at 31 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
May. Real heat: 37 °C at the warmest of the day, 26 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (121 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10.2 h a day on average. The sea is at 31 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
June. Real heat: 37 °C at the warmest of the day, 26 °C at night. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (88 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.8 h a day on average. The sea is at 31 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. Real heat: 36 °C at the warmest of the day, 25 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (72 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.2 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
August. Real heat: 36 °C at the warmest of the day, 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 134 mm of rain over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.5 h a day on average. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
September. Real heat: 36 °C at the warmest of the day, 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 83 mm of rain over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.7 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
October. Real heat: 33 °C at the warmest of the day, 24 °C at night. Frequent rain: 258 mm over 23 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. 30 °C in the afternoon and 23 °C at night. Frequent rain: 324 mm over 22 days. Expect 8.2 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
December. 30 °C in the afternoon and 22 °C at night. Frequent rain: 139 mm over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.2 h a day on average. The sea is at 27 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Tamil Nadu?
November to February: over these months, recorded highs range from 30 to 34 °C, with 11 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Meenakshi Temple, Madurai).
Which month should you avoid in Tamil Nadu?
August: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 134 mm over 14 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Meenakshi Temple, Madurai).
What is the hottest month in Tamil Nadu?
April, with 38 °C on average in the afternoon and 26 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Meenakshi Temple, Madurai).
What is the coldest month in Tamil Nadu?
November, with 30 °C at best during the day and 23 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Meenakshi Temple, Madurai).
What is the driest month in Tamil Nadu?
February: 9 mm over 2 days of rain, against 324 mm in November, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Tamil Nadu?
March, with 11.6 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
Does it get cold at night in Tamil Nadu?
The gap between day and night reaches 13 °C in March: 37 °C in the afternoon, 24 °C at dawn. Pack an extra layer, even in high season.
When can you swim in Tamil Nadu?
The water never drops below 22 °C: from 27 to 31 °C depending on the month (warmest in April), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (Mahabalipuram).
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Tamil Nadu guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Kerala: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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