The Climate of Ireland

Irish Spring

Spring in Ireland is a time of new life, crisp mornings, beautiful sunrises, mild days and of fresh air – some of Europe’s freshest, right off the Atlantic. Expect fairly mild days and soft showers which quickly blow over to pleasant skies, with an average temperature or about 10°C (50°F). Days are lengthening, with May days particularly long and glorious (leading up to the Summer Solstice in June). 

Explore our spring landscapes to marvel at the beautiful fields and forests of wildflowers, bouncing newborn lambs, the arrival of the puffins and other native birds, and fresh spring breezes. The end of May marks the start of the tourist season, so a spring trip to Ireland is the perfect balance between good weather and few crowds. 

Why Visit Ireland in Spring

Irish Summer

It seems like the sun never sets during Ireland’s summer – and it is very nearly true! Summer days in Ireland have as much as 16-18 hours of daylight, with the rest of the night as twilight. June and July are generally drier, though August can be a bit more wet as it’s the start of the harvest season or autumn on the Gaelic calendar. Average temperatures will be around 16-18°C (60-65°F), with some days in the 20s (high 60s, low 70s °F).

This time of year is great for outdoor lovers. The mild temperatures and longer days make Ireland perfect for activities like hiking, road cycling, and spending time outdoors. The forests and countryside are lush and full of life, the landscape is still in bloom, and the world is full of concerts, picnics, festivals, sporting events, hikers, surfers and cyclists.

Why Visit Ireland in Summer

Irish Autumn

Experience the beauty of Ireland during the autumn months. Generally during autumn, the tourism season is winding down, meaning a less busy time of year to explore the wild landscapes of Ireland, perhaps even getting some of the more popular spots to yourself.

As for weather, autumn is a bit of a wildcard. We usually get a few nice weeks during either September, October and early November, though it’s worth noting that October is statistically the wettest month of the year. But it’s also the month of Halloween, which originates in Ireland, and also when autumn shows it’s true fall colours!

Why Visit Ireland in Autumn

Irish Winter

Irish winter is characterised by short days and long nights, which is less bleak than it sounds. Leading up to Christmas, the days are shortening but there’s a festive spirit in the air and plenty of celebrations. Though few tourists, accommodation and food are great value for money. Longer nights means it’s easy to enjoy dramatic sunsets and sunrises without waking up too early.

By day, winter skies are dramatic and by night, the starry skies and moonscapes are vivid. The west coast is battered by winter storms, bringing huge waves. The Winter Solstice marks the start of lengthening days. While January can be quite cold, we sometimes see snow. February marks the start of Gaelic spring, with snowdrops and the tittering of birds appearing on the landscape.

Why Visit Ireland in Winter

Rainbows

Everyone knows that Ireland is known for rainbows. But is this just a stereotype? Nope – it’s the truth. In Ireland, we get plenty of rain and low pressure. Combine these two things, and the upside of it is that a lot of rainbows! Rainbows appear when we have the sun behind us and rain before us. Though the rainbow phenomenon is common in spring and autumn, it’s likely you’ll experience at least one rainbow while you’re here – and if you’re lucky, a double rainbow! See more on our rainbows of Ireland blog.

Summer & Winter Solstices

The Summer and Winter Solstices are the longest and shortest days of the year, respectively, and of course they exist worldwide. But the high latitude of Ireland makes the solstices here more dramatic – the long, endless days where the sun is still lighting up the edges sky approaching midnight, and in winter, the short chilly days with gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. It helps too that the ancient Neolithic peoples worshipped astronomy, aligning many of their ancient monuments with the solstices some 5,000 years ago. Read our solstice blog.

Dramatic Skies & Storms

The ever-changing skies in Ireland mean the lighting is both dramatic and fleeting. Clouds whip around the sky with the sun shining through, creating a canvas of dramatic light perfect for photography. Autumn is the most vivid. In the winter, it’s storm season, with great, giant waves arriving on Ireland’s shores. So epic are the winter waves that surfers come here from all over the world! In fact, the biggest waved surfed was recorded in Co Sligo, only broken recently. Check out our dramatic skies blog.

Ever-Changing Weather

In most places, when it starts raining, it stays raining. Not so in Ireland. Out weather changes quickly, and often. Sunny spells tend to last longer than rainy ones, with short gusts of rain that blow over quickly. We often joke that we get most seasons every day! This of course makes it ideal for hiking and cycling – the temperature is nearly always mild, the storms rarely stay for long, and the sun will shine at least a bit every day!

Moon & Dark Skies

Artificial light has both changed and improved our lives – but it also causes light pollution. Since 2001, naturally dark places are under the protection of the International Dark Sky Association. Rural Ireland is ideal for stargazing as we have few weest coast cities – it’s mostly made up of small towns and villages. On a clear night in dark places, marvel at 4,000 twinkling stars, planets such as Venus or Jupiter and even meteor showers and all with the unaided eye! Read about stargazing in this dark skies blog.

Emerald Landscapes

Yes, this is a nice way of saying that in Ireland, we do get a fair bit of rain. As said before, it’s rare that it rains all day – instead, we get bursts of showers, sun and cloud. The best part of all this rain means that the landscapes are continually beautiful shades of green. Woodlands are lush and mossy, rich with earthy smells. Fields are rolling green hills. Lakes and rivers abound. And of course, there are the wild bogs – put your boots to use to squish through them!