Winter
Dec → Feb7 to 8°
nights 3 to 4°
- 14 rainy days · 82 mm
- 4 h of sun
When is the best time to visit Belfast?
- Jan7°not recommended
- Feb8°not recommended
- Mar9°not recommended
- Apr11°fair
- May15°recommended
- Jun17°recommended
- Jul18°recommended
- Aug18°recommended
- Sep16°recommended
- Oct13°fair
- Nov10°not recommended
- Dec8°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Belfast, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7° | 3° | 3.8 h | 68 mm | 14 d | |
| February | 8° | 3° | 5.4 h | 79 mm | 14 d | |
| March | 9° | 3° | 6.8 h | 82 mm | 16 d | |
| April | 11° | 5° | 9 h | 61 mm | 13 d | |
| May | 15° | 8° | 10.5 h | 70 mm | 14 d | ✓ |
| June | 17° | 11° | 10.9 h | 81 mm | 14 d | ✓ |
| July | 18° | 12° | 9.8 h | 100 mm | 18 d | ✓ |
| August | 18° | 12° | 9.3 h | 104 mm | 18 d | ✓ |
| September | 16° | 11° | 7.7 h | 87 mm | 14 d | ✓ |
| October | 13° | 9° | 5.7 h | 90 mm | 14 d | |
| November | 10° | 6° | 4.1 h | 89 mm | 14 d | |
| December | 8° | 4° | 2.9 h | 98 mm | 15 d |
The four seasons in Belfast, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Titanic Belfast) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May9 to 15°
nights 3 to 8°
- 14 rainy days · 71 mm
- 8.8 h of sun
Summer
Jun → Aug17 to 18°
nights 11 to 12°
- 17 rainy days · 95 mm
- 10 h of sun
Autumn
Sep → Nov10 to 16°
nights 6 to 11°
- 14 rainy days · 89 mm
- 5.8 h of sun
Book early for May to September
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Belfast, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 17h15 of daylight, in December 7h17, a difference of 9h58.
7h49Jan
9h37Feb
11h40Mar
14hApr
16h03May
17h15Jun
16h45Jul
14h54Aug
12h37Sep
10h22Oct
8h20Nov
7h17Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Titanic Belfast" (54.61°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Belfast, month by month
EventsThe Twelfth paradesJulyFéile an PhobailAugustBelfast International Arts FestivalOctoberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Long days: May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in Belfast, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. Exact dates change from year to year, so check them before you book.
- JulyThe Twelfth parades
In mid-July, the Orange parades and the bonfires the night before block off part of the city; many shops stay closed.
- AugustFéile an Phobail
West Belfast's big community festival fills the month of August: concerts, debates, guided neighbourhood tours.
- OctoberBelfast International Arts Festival
Theatre, dance and music take over the city's venues for two to three weeks in October.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended7°3° at night
- 68 mm · 14 d
- 3.8 h
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended8°3° at night
- 79 mm · 14 d
- 5.4 h
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended9°3° at night
- 82 mm · 16 d
- 6.8 h
Low season, lower prices
April
Fair11°5° at night
- 61 mm · 13 d
- 9 h
Low season, lower prices
May
Recommended15°8° at night
- 70 mm · 14 d
- 10.5 h
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended17°11° at night
- 81 mm · 14 d
- 10.9 h
Busy, without the crush
July
Recommended18°12° at night
- 100 mm · 18 d
- 9.8 h
High season, book early
August
Recommended18°12° at night
- 104 mm · 18 d
- 9.3 h
High season, book early
September
Recommended16°11° at night
- 87 mm · 14 d
- 7.7 h
Busy, without the crush
October
Fair13°9° at night
- 90 mm · 14 d
- 5.7 h
Low season, lower prices
November
Not recommended10°6° at night
- 89 mm · 14 d
- 4.1 h
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended8°4° at night
- 98 mm · 15 d
- 2.9 h
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Deep winter: 7 °C at the warmest of the day, 3 °C at night. A very wet month, 68 mm of rain over 14 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (3.8 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 8 °C at best, 3 °C at night. A very wet month, 79 mm of rain over 14 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (5.4 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 9 °C at best, 3 °C at night. A very wet month, 82 mm of rain over 16 days. Expect 6.8 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 11 °C at best, 5 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (61 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Cool: 15 °C at best, 8 °C at night. Frequent rain: 70 mm over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.5 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
June. Cool: 17 °C at best, 11 °C at night. Frequent rain: 81 mm over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.9 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
July. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 100 mm over 18 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.8 h a day on average. High season: book early.
August. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 104 mm over 18 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.3 h a day on average. High season: book early.
September. Cool: 16 °C at best, 11 °C at night. Frequent rain: 87 mm over 14 days. Expect 7.7 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Cool: 13 °C at best, 9 °C at night. Frequent rain: 90 mm over 14 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (5.7 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. Cool: 10 °C at best, 6 °C at night. A very wet month, 89 mm of rain over 14 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (4.1 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Cool: 8 °C at best, 4 °C at night. A very wet month, 98 mm of rain over 15 days. Very little sun: 2.9 h a day on average. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Belfast?
May to September: over these months, recorded highs range from 15 to 18 °C, with 16 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Titanic Belfast).
Which month should you avoid in Belfast?
December: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 98 mm over 15 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Titanic Belfast).
What is the hottest month in Belfast?
July, with 18 °C on average in the afternoon and 12 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Titanic Belfast).
What is the coldest month in Belfast?
January, with 7 °C at best during the day and 3 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Titanic Belfast).
What is the driest month in Belfast?
April: 61 mm over 13 days of rain, against 104 mm in August, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Belfast?
June, with 10.9 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Belfast guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Ireland: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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Photos: Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Michal Libertowski / Pexels