Climate - Belfast (Northern Ireland)

The climate of Belfast is oceanic, with quite cold, rainy winters and mild, relatively rainy summers.
The city is the capital of Northern Ireland and is located on the east coast.
The average temperature of the coldest month (January) is of 5.1 °C (41 °F), that of the warmest month (July) is of 15.4 °C (60 °F). Here are the average temperatures registered at Stormont Castle.

Precipitation amounts to 940 millimeters (37 inches) per year: so, it is at an intermediate level. It ranges from 65 mm (2.6 in) in the driest months (February, April, May, July) to 95 mm (3.7 in) in the wettest ones (October, November). Here is the average precipitation.

Winter, from December to February, is quite cold: temperatures are not so low, but wind and humidity can increase the sensation of cold. The sky is often cloudy, and rainfall is frequent. Sometimes, intense Atlantic depressions can cause wind storms.
Snowfalls are rare and not abundant. Usually, cold spells are not intense and do not last long. The temperature rarely drops below -5 °C (23 °F), however, it can occasionally drop to lower values. At Aldergrove airport (located outside the city, near Lough Neagh), the temperature reached -10.5 °C (13 °F) in January 1963, -10 °C (14 °F) in January 1979, -11 °C (12 °F) in December 1981, -9 °C (16 °F) in January 1982, -9.5 °C (15 °F) in December 1995, -12 °C (10.5 °F) in January 2010, and -15 °C (5 °F) in December 2010 (record).

In spring, from March to May, the temperature slowly rises, and Atlantic fronts become a bit less frequent. In May, it is often still quite cold, especially in the first half of the month.

Summer, from June to August, is cool, with quite frequent rains.
Hot days are rare: the temperature may not reach 25 °C (77 °F) for an entire month, however, it can sometimes reach higher values. The temperature reached 28 °C (82.5 °F) in June 1976, 28.5 °C (83.5 °F) in July 1983, 29 °C (84 °F) in July 1989, 29 °C (84 °F) in June 1995, 28 °C (82.5 °F) in July 2013, and 29 °C (84 °F) in June 2018.

Autumn, from September to November, is gray, cloudy and rainy, and with each passing week, it gets progressively colder. In November, the wind is often moderate or strong.



On average, there are around 1,245 sunshine hours per year. So, the sun doesn't shine often. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

The sea temperature ranges between 7 °C (45 °F) and 15 °C (59 °F). So, it is cold all year round. Here are the average sea temperatures.

Best Time

The best time to visit Belfast is the summer, from June to August, since it is the mildest of the year. The temperatures are generally good for outdoors activities, although it's better to bring an umbrella, and a sweatshirt or sweater for the evening or for cool days.