Ireland Weather By Month: A Guide To The Seasons And Climate Of Ireland

This guide breaks down the Ireland weather by month clearly, showing you the rainiest months and the sunniest months.

You’ll find an overview of the seasons of Ireland, when Ireland gets its longest days and what to expect from the weather in Ireland during each month (both the pros and the cons).

There’s also info on the average temperatures in Ireland for each month, too.

I’ve lived in Ireland for 35 years, so this is all first hand information that’s backed up by data from Met Éireann – The Irish Meteorological Service.

A quick overview of the weather in Ireland

Before diving into this Ireland weather by month guide, take some time to read the points below, as they’ll get you up-to-speed quickly.

1. The seasons

Winter in Ireland starts on December 1st and ends on February 28th. Spring in Ireland starts on March 1st and ends on May 31st. Summer in Ireland starts on June 1st and ends on August 31st. Autumn in Ireland starts on September 1st and ends on November 31st.

2. The climate

The climate of Ireland is temperate. We experience mild summers and reasonably mild winters. In recent years, Ireland has experienced some significant climate events. For example, 2023 was the warmest year Ireland has experienced in 124 years while summer 2024 was the coldest summer in 9 years.

3. Prepare for four seasons in one day

You’ll often hear people say that the weather in Ireland is so changeable that we get four seasons in a day and it is, at times, true. When you’re planning your Ireland itinerary, plan for every kind of weather.

4. The wettest months

The rainiest months in Ireland are October (128.9 mm), November (120.3 mm), and December (123.2 mm), according to long-term averages from data provided by the Irish Meteorological Service.

5. Months with the best weather 

The best weather in Ireland by month tends to be June, July and August, while the worst tends to be January and February, but poor weather conditions can hit at any time, as they have in the past.

Ireland temperature by month: A speedy overview

Below, you’ll find some Ireland temperature by month tables that offer an overview of the average temperature in Ireland across several different locations for each month of the year.

A quick glance below will give you a sense of what to expect from the different seasons in Ireland.

I’ll break down each month in the following section as that’ll help you decide the best time to travel to Ireland based on your likes/dislikes.

Winter in Ireland

Destination	Dec	Jan	Feb
Killarney	6 °C/42.9 °F	5.5 °C/42 °F	5.5 °C/42 °F
Dublin	4.8 °C/40.6 °F	4.7 °C/40.5 °F	4.8 °C/40.6 °F
Cobh	7.1 °C/44.8 °F	6.5 °C/43.8 °F	6.4 °C/43.5 °F
Galway	5.9 °C/42.5 °F	5.8 °C/42.5 °F	5.9 °C/42.5 °F

Spring in Ireland

Destination	Mar	Apr	May
Killarney	5.5 °C/42 °F	8.4 °C/47.1 °F	11 °C/51.9 °
Dublin	3 °C/37.4 °F	4.8 °C/40.6 °F	7.6 °C/45.6 °F
Cobh	7.1 °C/44.8 °F	8.8 °C/47.9 °F	11.4 °C/52.5 °F
Galway	6.9 °C/44.4 °F	8.9 °C/48 °F	11.6 °C/52.9 °F

Summer in Ireland

Destination	Jun	Jul	Aug
Killarney	13.5 °C/56.3 °F	14.9 °C/58.7 °F	14.5 °C/58.2 °F
Dublin	13.5 °C/56.4 °F	15.2 °C/59.3 °F	14.8 °C/58.6 °F
Cobh	15.4 °C/59.7 °F	15.6 °C/60.1 °F	15.4 °C/59.7 °F
Galway	14 °C/57.2 °F	15.3 °C/59.5 °F	15 °C/58.9 °F

Autumn in Ireland

Destination	Sept	Oct	Nov
Killarney	13.2 °C/55.7 °F	10.6 °C/51 °F	7.5 °C/45.6 °F
Dublin	13.1 °C/ 55.5 °F	10.3 °C/ 50.5 °F	7 °C/ 44.6 °F
Cobh	14 °C/ 57.3 °F	11.6 °C/52.8 °F	8.6 °C/47.4 °F
Galway	13.6 °C/56.4 °F	10.8 °C/51.5 °F	7.9 °C/46.2 °F

Ireland weather by month: Temperatures, rainfall and handy info

The next section of this Ireland weather by month guide takes a look at each of the months of the year and gives you info on temperature, rainfall and more.

It’ll come in handy if you’re planning a trip to Ireland and the weather is a deciding factor.

Remember, the climate of Ireland means that we usually get mild winters and summers, but what one person calls ‘mild’ another might regard as ‘chilly’.

January

The weather in Ireland in January is cool, wet and windy with an average temperature of 5.5°C/41.9°F.

Ireland often experiences its fair share of rain in January, with average long-term rainfall measuring 99.4 mm. In 2024, Dublin saw just 13 rainy days, while Donegal logged up to 24.

January is one of the peak winter months in Ireland and the biggest drawback is limited daylight hours.

The sun rises (at the start of the month) at around 08:29 and sets at around 16:38 each day.

February

The weather in Ireland in February is typically cool and wet with an average temperature of 5.6°C/42.1°F.

While February is the final month of winter, the days are still short, with the sun rising (at the start of the month) at 07:40 and setting at 17:37. 

Temperature wise, Ireland gets average highs of 8°C/46°F and average lows of 2°C /36°F in February.

February gets its fair share of rain with a long-term average of 66.5 mm. In 2024, Dublin recorded 18 rainy days, while Malin Head in Donegal had up to 29.

March

It’s from March that this Ireland weather by month guide starts to see some real improvements, as spring has (finally!) arrived.

The weather in Ireland in March starts to improve with the transition from winter to spring. It remains relatively cold with average highs of 10°C/50°F and lows of 4.4°C/39.92°F.

March can be a very wet month in Ireland with average rainfall of 94.7 mm. In 2024, Dublin saw around 15 rainy days, while Mayo recorded up to 22.

The days start to get longer, too, with the sun rising at 07:12 and setting at 18:17 at the beginning of the month.

April

The weather in Ireland in April is is milder than in previous months, with an average temperature of 8.6°C/47.5°F, though scattered showers remain frequent.

The average rainfall for April in Ireland is approximately 72.0 mm. In 2024, Dublin recorded about 12 rainy days, while parts of Galway reached 18.

Keep in mind that, as it gets closer to May, temperatures rise.

April also brings long, lovely days with it, with the sun rising from 06:23 and setting at 20:00 from mid-April.

May

The weather in Ireland in May is generally mild, though rain is still common, with average highs of 15°C/59°F and average lows of 9°C/48°F.

It’s from May onwards that the days get wonderfully long and it, along with June, is one of the sunniest months of the year.

Mid-month, the sun rises from 05:17 and it doesn’t set until 21:26.

While sun is aplenty, rain is common, with a long-term average rainfall of 75.3 mm. In 2024, Dublin had 10 rainy days, while parts of the Wild Atlantic Way saw as many as 15.

June

It’s from June that this Ireland weather by month guide starts to heat up, as June 1st marks the arrival of the summer months!

The weather in Ireland in June is typically warm sunny with an average temperature of 13.7°C/56.7°F. Showers are still common, with an average rainfall of 79.6 mm.

Summers in Ireland can be a mixed bag; in recent years, Ireland had a heatwave with numerous 30°C+ days (average highs are 18°C/64°F, while lows are 11°C/52°F).

The days are long (the sun rises at 05:03 and sets at 21:42) and, in 2024, Dublin recorded around 11 rainy days, whereas Galway experienced up to 16.

July

The weather in Ireland in July is typically warm, with scattered showers common.

The average temperature for July is 15.5°C/59.9°F, and the long-term average rainfall is approximately 86.5 mm.

At the start of the month, the sun rises at 05:01 and sets at 21:56, giving you plenty of time to explore, especially if you have a busy Irish Road Trip Itinerary.

In 2024, Dublin saw about 9 rainy days, while parts of Cork had up to 14.

August

The weather in Ireland in August is warm and pleasant with an average temperature of 15.2°C/59.4°F and average rainfall of 107.8 mm.

In 2024, Dublin recorded around 12 rainy days, while Galway saw as many as 19.

The days are also nice and long, with the sun rising at 05:41 and setting at 21:20. Schools tend to start again towards the end of the month.

The average high temperatures in Ireland during this month are 18°C/64°F, while the average lows tend to hover around 11°C/52°F.

September

The weather in Ireland in September can bring a mix of summer and autumn, with mild weather (average 13.2°C/55.8°F) and a long-term average rainfall of 100.3 mm.

The days are still nice and long with the sun rising at 06:41 and it setting at 20:14 at the beginning of the month.

The average high temperatures during September tend to hover around 13°C/55°F and average lows tend to sit at 9°C/48°F.

In 2024, Dublin saw 10 rainy days, while parts of Mayo recorded up to 17.

October

The weather in Ireland in October can be wet and windy, but also cool and crisp, with vibrant orange leaves covering the landscape. The average temperature is 10.2°C/50.4°F.

This is the first time in this Ireland weather by month guide that you’ll see the days really start to shorten, with the sun rising at 07:33 and setting at 19:09.

October is generally one of Ireland’s wetter months. In 2024, Dublin had 15 rainy days, while Donegal experienced up to 22.

Ireland get average high temperatures of 13°C/55°F and average lows of 6°C/42°F during October.

November

The weather in Ireland in November sees the arrival of colder, wetter conditions. The long-term average temperature is 7.5°C/45.5°F, with around 100-120 mm of rainfall.

November marks the beginning of the off-season in Ireland, and the days are dramatically shorter than previous months, with the sun rising at 07:29 and setting at 17:00

Ireland tends to experience average highs of 11°C/52°F and average lows of 6°C/43°F during November.

In 2023, Dublin recorded around 18 rainy days, while parts of the Northwest saw up to 22.

December

While the weather in Ireland in December is wintery, with heavy rain, wind, and plenty of cold, damp days, crisp and sunny days are also common.

The average temperature tends to hover at 5.6°C/42.1°F, with average highs of 10°C/50°F and average lows of 3°C/37°F.

Daylight hours in December are reduced, also, with the sun rising at 08:22 and setting at 16:19.

In 2023, Dublin had 16 rainy days, while areas in the West recorded up to 20 (it’s also the month for Christmas markets in Ireland).

The average temperature in Ireland year round

January	5.5°C / 41.9°F	May	11.3°C / 52.3°F	September	13.2°C / 55.8°F
February	5.6°C / 42.1°F	June	13.7°C / 56.7°F	October	10.2°C / 50.4°F
March	7.1°C / 44.8°F	July	15.5°C / 59.9°F	November	7.5°C / 45.5°F
April	8.6°C / 47.5°F	August	15.2°C / 59.4°F	December	5.6°C / 42.1°F

The table above offers an insight into the Ireland weather year round, specifically the average temperatures.

This information is updated on a yearly basis using data from Met.ie.

FAQs about the best weather in Ireland by month

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘What is the best temperature in Ireland by month?’ to ‘Which month has the least rain?’.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.