Winter
Dec → Feb8 to 9°
nights 4 to 5°
- 17 rainy days · 124 mm
- 3.8 h of sun
- sea 8°
When is the best time to visit Galway and Connemara?
- Jan8°not recommended
- Feb9°not recommended
- Mar10°not recommended
- Apr13°fair
- May15°recommended
- Jun17°recommended
- Jul18°recommended
- Aug18°recommended
- Sep17°recommended
- Oct14°fair
- Nov11°not recommended
- Dec9°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Galway and Connemara, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8° | 4° | 3.6 h | 111 mm | 16 d | 7° | |
| February | 9° | 4° | 4.8 h | 116 mm | 17 d | 8° | |
| March | 10° | 4° | 6.3 h | 117 mm | 16 d | 9° | |
| April | 13° | 6° | 8.5 h | 70 mm | 13 d | 11° | |
| May | 15° | 9° | 10.2 h | 79 mm | 14 d | 14° | ✓ |
| June | 17° | 11° | 9.7 h | 87 mm | 16 d | 16° | ✓ |
| July | 18° | 12° | 9 h | 116 mm | 17 d | 17° | ✓ |
| August | 18° | 13° | 8.6 h | 142 mm | 19 d | 18° | ✓ |
| September | 17° | 11° | 6.8 h | 105 mm | 16 d | 17° | ✓ |
| October | 14° | 9° | 5.4 h | 132 mm | 17 d | 13° | |
| November | 11° | 6° | 3.9 h | 122 mm | 16 d | 11° | |
| December | 9° | 5° | 3 h | 146 mm | 19 d | 9° |
The four seasons in Galway and Connemara, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Galway) 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 9°
- 14 rainy days · 89 mm
- 8.3 h of sun
- sea 11°
Summer
Jun → Aug17 to 18°
nights 11 to 13°
- 17 rainy days · 115 mm
- 9.1 h of sun
- sea 17°
Autumn
Sep → Nov11 to 17°
nights 6 to 11°
- 16 rainy days · 120 mm
- 5.4 h of sun
- sea 14°
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 Galway and Connemara, 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 16h57 of daylight, in December 7h32, a difference of 9h25.
8h02Jan
9h44Feb
11h41Mar
13h54Apr
15h50May
16h57Jun
16h29Jul
14h46Aug
12h35Sep
10h27Oct
8h31Nov
7h32Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Galway" (53.27°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Galway and Connemara, month by month
EventsSt Patrick's DayMarchGalway International Arts FestivalJulyGalway RacesJuly to AugustGalway International Oyster FestivalSeptemberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Long days: May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Galway and Connemara, 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.
- MarchSt Patrick's Day big crowds
A parade in Eyre Square and music sessions in the pubs of Quay Street, with a public holiday to go with it.
- JulyGalway International Arts Festival big crowds
Two weeks of theatre, concerts and large installations, with street shows that bring the town centre to a standstill.
- July to AugustGalway Races big crowds
The week of horse racing at Ballybrit empties the offices and fills the town's pubs in late July.
- SeptemberGalway International Oyster Festival big crowds
An oyster-opening championship, pints of stout and a marquee on the harbour, on the last weekend of September.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended8°4° at night
- 111 mm · 16 d
- 3.6 h
- sea 7°
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended9°4° at night
- 116 mm · 17 d
- 4.8 h
- sea 8°
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended10°4° at night
- 117 mm · 16 d
- 6.3 h
- sea 9°
Busy, without the crush
April
Fair13°6° at night
- 70 mm · 13 d
- 8.5 h
- sea 11°
Low season, lower prices
May
Recommended15°9° at night
- 79 mm · 14 d
- 10.2 h
- sea 14°
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended17°11° at night
- 87 mm · 16 d
- 9.7 h
- sea 16°
Busy, without the crush
July
Recommended18°12° at night
- 116 mm · 17 d
- 9 h
- sea 17°
High season, book early
August
Recommended18°13° at night
- 142 mm · 19 d
- 8.6 h
- sea 18°
High season, book early
September
Recommended17°11° at night
- 105 mm · 16 d
- 6.8 h
- sea 17°
High season, book early
October
Fair14°9° at night
- 132 mm · 17 d
- 5.4 h
- sea 13°
Low season, lower prices
November
Not recommended11°6° at night
- 122 mm · 16 d
- 3.9 h
- sea 11°
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended9°5° at night
- 146 mm · 19 d
- 3 h
- sea 9°
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 8 °C at best, 4 °C at night. A very wet month, 111 mm of rain over 16 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (3.6 h a day). Sea at 7 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 9 °C at best, 4 °C at night. A very wet month, 116 mm of rain over 17 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (4.8 h a day). Sea at 8 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 10 °C at best, 4 °C at night. A very wet month, 117 mm of rain over 16 days. Expect 6.3 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 9 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
April. Cool: 13 °C at best, 6 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (70 mm). Expect 8.5 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 11 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Cool: 15 °C at best, 9 °C at night. Frequent rain: 79 mm over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.2 h a day on average. Sea at 14 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
June. Cool: 17 °C at best, 11 °C at night. Frequent rain: 87 mm over 16 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.7 h a day on average. Sea at 16 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
July. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 116 mm over 17 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9 h a day on average. Sea at 17 °C, too cold to swim. High season: book early.
August. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 13 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 142 mm over 19 days. Expect 8.6 h of sunshine a day. Cool sea (18 °C), for the brave. High season: book early.
September. Cool: 17 °C at best, 11 °C at night. Frequent rain: 105 mm over 16 days. Expect 6.8 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 17 °C, too cold to swim. High season: book early.
October. Cool: 14 °C at best, 9 °C at night. Frequent rain: 132 mm over 17 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (5.4 h a day). Sea at 13 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. Cool: 11 °C at best, 6 °C at night. A very wet month, 122 mm of rain over 16 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (3.9 h a day). Sea at 11 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Cool: 9 °C at best, 5 °C at night. A very wet month, 146 mm of rain over 19 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (3 h a day). Sea at 9 °C, too cold to swim. 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 Galway and Connemara?
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, Galway).
Which month should you avoid in Galway and Connemara?
December: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 146 mm over 19 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Galway).
What is the hottest month in Galway and Connemara?
July, with 18 °C on average in the afternoon and 12 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Galway).
What is the coldest month in Galway and Connemara?
January, with 8 °C at best during the day and 4 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Galway).
What is the driest month in Galway and Connemara?
April: 70 mm over 13 days of rain, against 146 mm in December, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Galway and Connemara?
May, with 10.2 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
When can you swim in Galway and Connemara?
The water stays cool all year (warmest 18 °C in August, measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast, Galway): swimming is for the brave.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Galway and Connemara guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
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