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Climate - Ireland


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine

Flag - Ireland

Map - Ireland

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  • Introduction - Malin Head, Dublin, Valentia

Introduction



Ireland has an oceanic climate, cool and damp, cloudy and rainy throughout the year. Both the diurnal and the annual temperature ranges are narrow, so both the summer heat and the winter frost are rare.
The island of Ireland is located in Western Europe, on the Atlantic Ocean, between 51 and 55 degrees north latitude.
Temperatures do not vary much in the island; however, the western coasts are milder in winter and cooler in summer. The southwest coast is particularly mild in winter.
In Ireland, Atlantic weather fronts move relentlessly one after another over the country, resulting in a rapid succession of cloudiness and sunshine, rain showers and subsequent improvements. Days with completely clear skies are rare: the weather is more likely to be variable or unstable, and in the interludes between disturbances you can expect, rather than clear skies, clouds running in the sky.
The sun shines for about 1,300 hours a year in the west, 1,450 hours in Dublin, on the east coast, and up to 1,550 hours on the south-east coast (see Waterford).

The wind in Ireland is frequent and lively, although it is generally stronger between late autumn and early spring. The windiest area is the northern one (Donegal), which is literally windswept; the (relatively) least windy area is the inland south-eastern one (see Thurles, Kilkenny).

Rainfall is frequent throughout the island, but especially along the west coast, where it rains on average even more than once every two days; rainfall is more abundant on the slopes of the western hills, where it exceeds 2,000 millimeters (80 inches) per year. In Galway, on the west coast, 1,150 mm (45.5 in) of rain fall per year; in Cork, on the south coast, 1,200 mm (48 in). The least rainy area is the eastern one, where Dublin is located: here the rainfall is around 760 mm (30 in) per year.
Ireland

Winter, from December to February, is quite cold but not freezing. The sky is often cloudy, the rains are frequent, and the most intense low pressure systems can cause wind storms. Temperatures are slightly above freezing during the night, while during the day they range from 7/8 °C (45/46 °F) in inland areas, to 8/10 °C (46/50 °F) along the coasts.
On milder periods, when southerly air masses reach Ireland, the temperature can reach 15 °C (59 °F) even in winter.
In Ireland, there are no major mountain ranges, however, in the hills to the south of Dublin (Wicklow Mountains) and more rarely in the western highlands, with reach about a thousand meters (3,300 feet) in height, during winter the rain can turn into snow above 400/500 meters (1,300/1,600 feet).
Cold waves are rare, and are usually short-lived because after a while the westerlies start to blow again. In most cases, on clear nights there can be light frosts, and nothing more. Night temperatures drop below freezing (0 °C or 32 °F), usually by a few degrees, for about 35 days in Dublin, 20 days on the southeast coast and 7 days on the southwest coast.
Snow is quite rare as well: on average, it falls for a few days in a year, and may not occur for an entire winter.
However, occasionally there can be a more intense cold spell than usual, during which the temperature can go down to -10 °C (14 °F) or even below. In December 2010, the temperature dropped to -15 °C (5 °F) in the inland north-central areas, for example in Claremorris, but also on the western outskirts of Dublin, it also dropped to -11.5 °C (11 °F) in Limerick, to -12 °C (10.5 °F) in Dublin, and to -7 °C (19.5 °F) in Cork, on the south coast.

Spring, from March to May, is initially cold, and remains very cool or cold still in April, and sometimes in May; usually the temperature becomes quite mild only by the second half of May, when, however, nights can still be quite cold. In return, spring is the (relatively) least rainy season and the sunniest of the year.

In Summer, from June to August, temperatures are cool: average highs are around 17/18 °C (63/64 °F) in the north, and around 19/20 °C (66/68 °F) in the rest of Ireland. The rains are also frequent in this season.
However, quite rarely, there may be periods, usually short-lived, with sunny weather and pleasantly warm temperatures, when the Azores High moves over the country. In these cases, the temperature can reach or exceed 25 °C (77 °F), though it almost never reaches 30 °C (86 °F).
The heat record is 27 °C (80.5 °F) in Malin Head on the north coast, recorded in June 1976, and 29.7 °C (85.5 °F) in Cork, recorded in July 1989. In Galway, on the west coast, the temperature reached 30.5 °C (87 °F) in June 1976, while in a Dublin park, it reached 33 °C (91.5 °F) in July 2022. In Kilkenny, in the south, it reached 31.5 °C (88.7 °F) in July 1983. In Limerick, at some distance from the west coast, it reached 32 °C (89.6 °F) in June 2018.

Autumn, from September to November, is cloudy and rainy, at times windy, with little room for sunshine.

Malin Head

The northern coast, mild enough but windy in winter, is the coolest part of Ireland in summer. In Malin Head, the northernmost point of the island, in County Donegal, the average temperature in January and February is 6 °C (42.5 °F), while in July and August it's 14.5 °C (58.5 °F). The records are -6 °C (21 °F, set in January 1979 and February 1986) and 27 °C (80.5 °F, set on July 1st, 1976). Here are the average temperatures.
Malin Head - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January486394742.9
February486.1394743
March597404944.6
April6118.5435247.4
May81310.6465651.1
June101512.8515955
July121714.6546358.2
August121714.7546358.5
September111613.5526056.2
October91311485651.8
November6108.4435147
December496.6404843.9
Year7.712.31045.854.250

In Malin Head, the rains are not very abundant, around 1,100 mm (44 inches) per year, but they are frequent all year round. However, the least rainy season is spring.
Malin Head - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January1204.719
February903.516
March803.115
April652.613
May652.612
June702.812
July853.316
August953.716
September953.715
October1104.317
November1204.720
December1305.119
Year112544.3189

Dublin

Here are the average temperatures of Dublin, the capital city, located on the east coast, which in summer is the warmest (or less cool) area of the country.
Dublin - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January285.3364741.5
February295.4364741.6
March3106.4375043.6
April4128.1395446.6
May61510.7445951.3
June91813.4486456.1
July111915.2526759.4
August111915526659
September91713486355.5
October71410.2445750.4
November4107.3405145.2
December395.6374742
Year613.49.6542.756.149.5

As mentioned, the Dublin area is also the least rainy of the island, although the rains are quite frequent all year round. Here is the average precipitation.
Dublin - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January652.613
February50210
March552.211
April552.211
May602.411
June652.610
July552.211
August75312
September602.410
October803.112
November75312
December75313
Year76029.9135

The sky in Ireland is often cloudy, so the sun is rarely seen; however, the sunniest month (compared to the length of the days) is May. Here are the average daily sunshine hours in Dublin.
Dublin - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January260
February2.575
March3.5110
April5.5160
May6190
June6175
July5.5165
August5160
September4.5130
October3.5100
November2.570
December1.555
Year41445

The sea in Ireland is not inviting for swimming, in fact the water temperature does not go above 15/16 °C (59/61 °F) in July and August. Here is the sea temperature in Dublin.
Dublin - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January948
February846
March846
April947
May1051
June1355
July1559
August1660
September1560
October1457
November1254
December1051
Year11.652.9

Valentia

In winter, the south-west coast is the mildest area of Ireland, with very rare frosts, so much so that even sub-tropical plant species can thrive. On the small island of Valentia, in County Kerry, the average temperature is 7.5 °C (45.5 °F) in January and February, and 15.5 °C (60 °F) in July and August. The records are -7.7 °C (18 °F, December 2010) and 28.5 °C (83 °F, late June 2018). Here are the average temperatures.
Valentia - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January5107.5415045.5
February5107.5415045.4
March6118.3425247
April7139.6445549.3
May91511.8485953.3
June111713.9526257
July131815.4556459.7
August131815.5556559.8
September121714.3536357.8
October101512495853.6
November7129.6455349.3
December6108.2435146.7
Year8.613.711.1547.456.752

In Valentia, directly exposed to wet currents from the south-west, the rains are abundant, around 1,600 mm (63 in) per year.
Valentia - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January1907.521
February1305.118
March1154.516
April1104.314
May1003.914
June1003.913
July1154.516
August1104.316
September1254.916
October1706.718
November1857.321
December1756.920
Year162063.8204

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