Home > Europe > Ireland > Cork > Live Weather

Weather Overview for Cork

Cork is Ireland’s second largest city, located on the River Lee on the southern Irish coast. Its name is derived from the Irish word ‘corcach’, meaning ‘marshy place'.

Cork rarely experiences any extremes of temperature; it seldom falls below freezing or rises above the low 20s. It does however, experience high relative humidity. Humidity ranges between 78% and 90% all year round, with October and November measuring the highest percentages; this often leads to the development of fog which enshrouds the city about 100 days each year. While some complain of the frequent fog and rain, and the mild temperatures, it should be remembered that it is these conditions that give Ireland its famed green landscape. Cork is also one of the sunniest cities in Ireland – but don’t get too excited: this means a whopping 6 hours of sunshine per day in the clearest months of May and June, and a mere 69 days of no recordable sunshine per year. That’s right: 69 whole days of completely impenetrable grey. Jumping for joy yet?

Spring, from March till May, is pretty chilly with moderate rainfall. The average high temperature rises gradually from 9°C in March to 14°C in May, with night time lows only just averaging above 5°C in March. However, the clouds go on retreat and the sun comes out for longer and longer each month, increasing to 4 hours per day in March, 5 in April and 6 in May. March is a particularly busy month, encompassing Gaelic Week and Saint Patrick’s Day.

Summer, from June till September, is kept mild by westerly winds coming in from the Atlantic; but this is still the most pleasant season to visit. Rainfall is at its lowest, temperatures at their highest and the sun comes out for the longest. The average high temperature peaks at 18°C in July and August, sitting at slightly pathetic 17°C and 16°C in June and September. It can get into the low 20s in July and August on particularly sunny days. Night time temperatures hover around 10°C throughout the season which is definitely cool enough for a jumper and a jacket. From the end of June, sunshine levels start to decrease again and by September only 4 hours per day can be expected on average, though this is often shared out amongst rainy, grey days and whole days of clear skies. July is probably the best time to visit as it is the warmest and driest month. Even then swimming in the sea can be left to those with bravery, or simply bravado.

Autumn, in October and November, is very cool, grey and often the foggiest time of year. The average high temperature falls quickly to 13°C in October and 10°C in November, with night time lows falling below 10°C in October and below 5°C in November. Rain and cloud muscle-in, leaving a measly 3 hours of sunshine in October and only 2 in November.

Winter, from December till February, is cold though not bitterly so, wet and rather gloomy. January and February are the coldest, both experiencing an average high of 8°C and an average low of 3°C. Rainfall is at its highest of the year in December and January, falling on most days in a dismal drizzle. It rarely gets down to freezing and snow is very rare though frosts are not uncommon away from the coast. The sun continues to come out for only 2 hours per day.

Cork’s climate is similar to the rest of Ireland and the United Kingdom; it has a maritime climate characterised by mild and moist conditions and a narrow temperature range. The climate in Cork is affected by the North Atlantic Current which is the strong ocean current that brings the Gulf Stream up from Mexico through to the west coast of Ireland and the UK. The Gulf transports enough heat to satisfy the world’s energy demand a hundred times. It is this phenomenon that keeps the southwest coast of Ireland, including Cork, a few degrees warmer than the east coast and the north.