Climate of Ireland

Climate of Ireland

Where is the country of Ireland located? Ireland is a country that occupies about four-fifths of the island of the same name. The other twenty percent consists of Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. Ireland is known for its rugged nature, Irish whiskey and quirky culture. The capital Dublin is a good example of this. Few cities have a nightlife with such a distinct character.

Ireland has a temperate maritime climate, with mild winters and relatively cool summers. Within the Köppen-Geiger climate system, Ireland has a Cfb climate. Temperature extremes are rare. In summer the temperature does not often rise above 25 degrees and real winter weather is rare along the coasts. Inland there is a bit more chance of frost and snow. The months of January and February are known for the winter storms that can occur.

Rain

Because most depressions are brought into Europe via a westerly current from the Atlantic Ocean and Ireland is regularly the first country to be affected by a rainfall depression, the country has to deal with above-average amounts of rain. This is the case almost all year round, although in the summer it can be dry for quite long periods under the influence of strong high pressure areas east of Ireland. The air in Ireland is then supplied across the Channel from south to south east from France and often contains warm and dry air.

storms

Due to the location of Ireland to the west of England and mainland Europe, the wind often has free rein. The chance of strong winds and storms is therefore fairly high in Ireland. It can be windy all year round. Notorious are the autumn storms, which are sometimes the remnants of a hurricane that moved east across the Atlantic Ocean. It can also be a hit in the winter. January storms can cause a lot of inconvenience due to the gusty winds. This is particularly disruptive to traffic.

Holiday weather

As a beach destination, the Irish seawater is often too cold and the weather too unstable. However, if you want to enjoy nature and the beautiful cities and villages that the country has to offer, you can go almost all year round, because the weather has few extremes and every type of weather shows a beautiful side of the country. Ireland’s coastal areas, for example, look better with a combination of dark clouds and bright sun.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Maximum temperature Minimum temperature Hours of sunshine per day Days of rainfall per month Water temperature
January 8℃ 3℃ 2 19 8℃
February 8℃ 3℃ 3 17 7℃
March 10℃ 3℃ 4 15 7℃
April 12℃ 5℃ 5 17 8℃
May 15℃ 7℃ 6 16 10℃
June 18℃ 10℃ 6 15 12℃
July 19℃ 12℃ 5 14 15℃
August 19℃ 11℃ 5 16 15℃
September 17℃ 10℃ 4 16 15℃
October 14℃ 8℃ 3 18 14℃
November 10℃ 4℃ 2 17 12℃
December 9℃ 3℃ 2 18 10℃

Best time to visit Ireland

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Ireland? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. Ireland occupies a large part of the island of the same name, which is largely surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. Its location west of the United Kingdom puts Ireland in the western supply of depressions and wetlands. The temperate maritime climate that determines the weather in Ireland has many influences from the relatively warm Gulf Stream or North Atlantic Drift. The seawater ensures that it rarely gets seriously cold in the winter months, but that the temperatures are tempered in the summer months. This results in summers in which summer temperatures are not so easily achieved and tropical temperatures (30 degrees or higher) are really the exception. Most people don’t visit Ireland for a holiday in the sun, but to learn about the history, Wind and cloud dominate the weather in Ireland. It is sometimes said that Ireland rains a lot, but a look at Ireland’s climate statistics shows that this is only partly true. The west of Ireland is indeed quite wet and has a fairly large number of days with precipitation: on average between 220 and 240 rainy days. The east of Ireland is a lot drier. There is hardly more precipitation there than in the Netherlands and the number of days in which at least 1 millimeter of precipitation falls is on average between 140 and 170 days per year. Ireland is a destination that you can actually visit all year round. Winter is colder and gloomier and summer is warmer and sunnier, without being overly sunny. Based on the weather and climate, the period from May to August is the best time to travel for a holiday in Ireland. For a city trip, for example to Dublin, you can also travel to Ireland in March, April, September or October.

Ireland