Winter
Dec → Feb9 to 10°
nights 4 to 5°
- 15 rainy days · 106 mm
- 4.1 h of sun
When is the best time to visit Cork?
- Jan9°not recommended
- Feb9°not recommended
- Mar10°not recommended
- Apr12°fair
- May15°recommended
- Jun18°recommended
- Jul19°recommended
- Aug19°recommended
- Sep17°recommended
- Oct14°fair
- Nov11°not recommended
- Dec10°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Cork, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9° | 4° | 4 h | 88 mm | 13 d | |
| February | 9° | 4° | 5 h | 100 mm | 14 d | |
| March | 10° | 4° | 6.5 h | 107 mm | 15 d | |
| April | 12° | 5° | 8.5 h | 85 mm | 13 d | |
| May | 15° | 8° | 9.8 h | 85 mm | 14 d | ✓ |
| June | 18° | 11° | 10.2 h | 68 mm | 12 d | ✓ |
| July | 19° | 12° | 9.6 h | 81 mm | 13 d | ✓ |
| August | 19° | 12° | 9 h | 93 mm | 14 d | ✓ |
| September | 17° | 11° | 7.3 h | 99 mm | 12 d | ✓ |
| October | 14° | 9° | 5.6 h | 134 mm | 14 d | |
| November | 11° | 6° | 4.2 h | 98 mm | 15 d | |
| December | 10° | 5° | 3.2 h | 130 mm | 17 d |
The four seasons in Cork, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (English Market) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May10 to 15°
nights 4 to 8°
- 14 rainy days · 92 mm
- 8.3 h of sun
Summer
Jun → Aug18 to 19°
nights 11 to 12°
- 13 rainy days · 81 mm
- 9.6 h of sun
Autumn
Sep → Nov11 to 17°
nights 6 to 11°
- 14 rainy days · 110 mm
- 5.7 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 Cork, 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 16h41 of daylight, in December 7h47, a difference of 8h54.
8h15Jan
9h51Feb
11h42Mar
13h49Apr
15h38May
16h41Jun
16h15Jul
14h38Aug
12h33Sep
10h32Oct
8h43Nov
7h47Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "English Market" (51.90°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Cork, month by month
EventsCork Jazz FestivalOctoberCork Film FestivalNovemberSt Patrick's DayMarchCork Midsummer FestivalJuneDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Sightseeing & walks: June, September
- Long days: May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in Cork, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. These events fill the hotels and push prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- OctoberCork Jazz Festival big crowds
Dozens of venues, from pubs to large halls, put on jazz over the late October bank holiday weekend.
- NovemberCork Film Festival
Ireland's oldest film event screens features and shorts for about ten days in November.
- MarchSt Patrick's Day big crowds
Brass bands and floats make their way down St Patrick's Street on 17 March, and the pubs play music from early afternoon into the night.
- JuneCork Midsummer Festival
Theatre, dance and outdoor productions spread across the city and along the quays for about ten days in June.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended9°4° at night
- 88 mm · 13 d
- 4 h
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended9°4° at night
- 100 mm · 14 d
- 5 h
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended10°4° at night
- 107 mm · 15 d
- 6.5 h
Busy, without the crush
April
Fair12°5° at night
- 85 mm · 13 d
- 8.5 h
Low season, lower prices
May
Recommended15°8° at night
- 85 mm · 14 d
- 9.8 h
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended18°11° at night
- 68 mm · 12 d
- 10.2 h
Busy, without the crush
July
Recommended19°12° at night
- 81 mm · 13 d
- 9.6 h
High season, book early
August
Recommended19°12° at night
- 93 mm · 14 d
- 9 h
High season, book early
September
Recommended17°11° at night
- 99 mm · 12 d
- 7.3 h
Busy, without the crush
October
Fair14°9° at night
- 134 mm · 14 d
- 5.6 h
Busy, without the crush
November
Not recommended11°6° at night
- 98 mm · 15 d
- 4.2 h
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended10°5° at night
- 130 mm · 17 d
- 3.2 h
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 9 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (88 mm). Sunshine gets scarcer (4 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 9 °C at best, 4 °C at night. A very wet month, 100 mm of rain over 14 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (5 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 10 °C at best, 4 °C at night. A very wet month, 107 mm of rain over 15 days. Expect 6.5 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
April. Cool: 12 °C at best, 5 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (85 mm). Expect 8.5 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Cool: 15 °C at best, 8 °C at night. Frequent rain: 85 mm over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.8 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
June. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 11 °C early in the morning. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (68 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10.2 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
July. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (81 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.6 h a day on average. High season: book early.
August. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 93 mm over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9 h a day on average. High season: book early.
September. Cool: 17 °C at best, 11 °C at night. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (99 mm). Expect 7.3 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Cool: 14 °C at best, 9 °C at night. Frequent rain: 134 mm over 14 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (5.6 h a day). Busy season, without the crush.
November. Cool: 11 °C at best, 6 °C at night. A very wet month, 98 mm of rain over 15 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (4.2 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Cool: 10 °C at best, 5 °C at night. A very wet month, 130 mm of rain over 17 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (3.2 h a day). 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 Cork?
May to September: over these months, recorded highs range from 15 to 19 °C, with 13 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, English Market).
Which month should you avoid in Cork?
December: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 130 mm over 17 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (English Market).
What is the hottest month in Cork?
July, with 19 °C on average in the afternoon and 12 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (English Market).
What is the coldest month in Cork?
January, with 9 °C at best during the day and 4 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (English Market).
What is the driest month in Cork?
June: 68 mm over 12 days of rain, against 134 mm in October, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Cork?
June, with 10.2 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 Cork guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Ireland: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)