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

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 we get our 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.

Some quick information about the weather in Ireland

Before diving into our 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.

3. It’s unpredictable

Any Ireland weather by month guide that tells you it’ll be dry and sunny one month and cold and wet the next is misleading you. The weather in Ireland is notoriously unpredictable.

4. 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.

5. The best and worst 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 stormy weather can hit at any time, as it has 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. We’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

DestinationDecJanFeb
Killarney6 °C/42.9 °F5.5 °C/42 °F5.5 °C/42 °F
Dublin4.8 °C/40.6 °F4.7 °C/40.5 °F4.8 °C/40.6 °F
Cobh7.1 °C/44.8 °F6.5 °C/43.8 °F6.4 °C/43.5 °F
Galway5.9 °C/42.5 °F5.8 °C/42.5 °F5.9 °C/42.5 °F

Spring in Ireland

DestinationMarAprMay
Killarney5.5 °C/42 °F8.4 °C/47.1 °F11 °C/51.9 °
Dublin3 °C/37.4 °F4.8 °C/40.6 °F7.6 °C/45.6 °F
Cobh7.1 °C/44.8 °F8.8 °C/47.9 °F11.4 °C/52.5 °F
Galway6.9 °C/44.4 °F8.9 °C/48 °F11.6 °C/52.9 °F

Summer in Ireland

DestinationJunJulAug
Killarney13.5 °C/56.3 °F14.9 °C/58.7 °F14.5 °C/58.2 °F
Dublin13.5 °C/56.4 °F15.2 °C/59.3 °F14.8 °C/58.6 °F
Cobh15.4 °C/59.7 °F15.6 °C/60.1 °F15.4 °C/59.7 °F
Galway14 °C/57.2 °F15.3 °C/59.5 °F15 °C/58.9 °F

Autumn in Ireland

DestinationSeptOctNov
Killarney13.2 °C/55.7 °F10.6 °C/51 °F7.5 °C/45.6 °F
Dublin13.1 °C/ 55.5 °F10.3 °C/ 50.5 °F7 °C/ 44.6 °F
Cobh14 °C/ 57.3 °F11.6 °C/52.8 °F8.6 °C/47.4 °F
Galway13.6 °C/56.4 °F10.8 °C/51.5 °F7.9 °C/46.2 °F
 

Ireland weather by month: Temperatures, rainfall and handy info

Lahinch Town

Photos via Shutterstock

The next section of our 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

Ireland in January is peak winter and the days tends to be cool, wet and windy with an average temperature of 7°C/44°F. One of the biggest drawback of January is the daylight hours.

The sun rises (at the start of the month) at around 08:29 and sets at around 16:38 each day. Ireland can also get quite a bit of rain in January.

In 2021, for example, some parts of Ireland (parts of Cork) recorded 15 days of rain while others (parts of Mayo) recorded 29.

 

February

Ireland in February sees the days lengthen slightly, 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 – so not much different than January.

In terms of rainfall, February is still a mixed bag. In 2021, for example, rain fell between 17 (Malin Head) and 25 (Roche’s Point) days.

 

March

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

Ireland in March tends to experience average highs of 10°C+/50°F and average lows of around 4°C/39°F (again, keep in mind that this can change drastically).

In 2021, rain fell between 11 (parts of Wexford) and 25 (Belmullet in Mayo) days of the month.

 

April

Ireland in April is when the warmer weather starts to seep in, and the island experiences average high temperatures of 13°C/55°F and average lows of 4°C/39°F.

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.

Rain wise, in 2021, the number of days where rain fell ranged from 8 days (at Johnstown Castle) to 17 days (in Belmullet).

 

May

Ireland in May is a mighty time to explore, with the sun rising at 05:17 and setting at 21:26 (mid-May).

It also tends to be nice and mild, with mean temperatures ranging between 9°C/48°F and 15°C/59°F over the last three years.

In 2021, the number of days where rain fell ranged from 16 (Phoenix Park in Dublin) to 24 days (on Valentia Island on the Wild Atlantic Way).

 

June

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

Now, summers in Ireland can be a mixed bag; last year, for example, we had a heatwave with numerous 30°C+ days.

In Ireland in June, the average high temperature can rise to a balmy 18°C/64°F, while the average lows tend to hover around 11°C/52°F.

The days are long (the sun rises at 05:03 and sets at 21:42) and, in 2021, rain fell between 6 days (at the Phoenix Park in Dublin) to 17 days in several parts of the country.

 

July

Ireland in July experiences average high temperature of 19°C/66°F and lows that tend to hover around 12°C/54°F.

At the start of the month, the sun rises at 05:01 and sets at 21:56, giving you plenty of time to explore.

July tends to be a good month weather wise, although we can get a bit of rain. In 2021, for example, the number of days where rain fell ranged from 9 days (Phoenix Park in Dublin) to 17 days (several parts of the country).

 

August

Ireland in August is also one of the more popular times to explore. In years past, we’ve had storms in August and we’ve had heatwaves.

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.

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.

 

September

Ireland in September is what’s known as the ‘Shoulder Season’ – i.e. the period of time between the peak-season and the off-season.

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

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.

As far as rainfall goes, the number of days where rain fell ranged from 8 days to 23 days in 2021.

 

October

The weather in Ireland in October tends to be OK (in 2021 it was mild and wet while in 2020 is was cool, wet and windy).

We get average high temperatures can rise to a mild 13°C/55°F, while average lows tend to hover around 6°C/42°F.

This is the first time in our 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.

 

November

Ireland in November marks the beginning of the off-season in Ireland, and we tend to experience average temperatures between 11°C/52°F and 6°C/43°F across the island.

The days are also dramatically shorter than previous months, with the sun rising at 07:29 and setting at 17:00.

Rainfall wise, we saw between 9 and 28 days in 2021 and between 18 and 26 days in 2020.

 

December

The weather in Ireland in December can be terrible, but the upside is there’s plenty of Christmas markets in Ireland to saunter around.

The average temperature tends to hover at 8°C, 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.

 

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.

What is the best month for weather in Ireland?

The best weather in Ireland by month is hard to pinpoint, as every year is different. However, in my opinion, the summer months and September are good choices.

What are the seasons in Ireland?

Winter runs from December 1st to February 28th. Spring runs from March 1st to May 31st. Summer runs from June 1st to August 31st. Autumn runs from September 1st to November 31st.

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Doug

Friday 28th of October 2022

Use of Fahrenheit in your description of weather would be helpful for American travelers. Thank you for your attention

Keith O'Hara

Wednesday 29th of March 2023

Thanks Doug! That's been added now!

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