When is the best time to visit the Ring of Kerry?

The weather in the Ring of Kerry, month by month

Daytime and night-time temperatures, then rainfall. Records 2015-2024 (Kerry Cliffs). The exact figures are in the table below.
The table of records, month by month
Real 2015-2024 records at the reference point "Kerry Cliffs" (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo; sea: 2023-2024 averages (Open-Meteo Marine) on the nearest coast (Kerry Cliffs)). Published as open data.
MonthHighLowSunshineRainfallRainy daysSeaBest
January10°6°3.9 h181 mm21 d10°
February10°6°4.9 h173 mm21 d10°
March10°6°7 h173 mm19 d10°
April12°7°9.3 h96 mm15 d10°
May14°10°10.4 h106 mm17 d13°✓
June16°12°10.4 h110 mm17 d15°✓
July17°13°9.7 h132 mm19 d15°✓
August17°14°9.1 h165 mm22 d15°✓
September16°12°7.6 h154 mm19 d15°✓
October14°11°5.7 h207 mm20 d14°
November12°8°4.3 h190 mm20 d13°
December11°7°3.2 h229 mm24 d11°

The four seasons in the Ring of Kerry, in figures

What the 2015-2024 records (Kerry Cliffs) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.

Winter

Dec → Feb
10 to 11°
nights 6 to 7°
  • 22 rainy days · 194 mm
  • 4 h of sun
  • sea 10°
Not recommended

Spring

Mar → May
10 to 14°
nights 6 to 10°
  • 17 rainy days · 125 mm
  • 8.9 h of sun
  • sea 11°
1 month recommended

Summer

Jun → Aug
16 to 17°
nights 12 to 14°
  • 19 rainy days · 136 mm
  • 9.7 h of sun
  • sea 15°
Recommended

Autumn

Sep → Nov
12 to 16°
nights 8 to 12°
  • 20 rainy days · 184 mm
  • 5.9 h of sun
  • sea 14°
1 month recommended

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 the Ring of Kerry, 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 16h40 of daylight, in December 7h48, a difference of 8h52.

8h16Jan
9h52Feb
11h42Mar
13h49Apr
15h38May
16h40Jun
16h14Jul
14h37Aug
12h33Sep
10h32Oct
8h43Nov
7h48Dec

Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Kerry Cliffs" (51.83°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.

What to do in the Ring of Kerry, month by month

ActivityJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Hiking
Beach & swimming
Towns & culture
Long days
Events12

EventsPuck FairAugustRing of Kerry Charity CycleJulyRose of TraleeAugustDetails ↓

favourablewith compromisesunfavourable

Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.

What's on in the Ring of Kerry, 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.

Travelling off-peak

Month by month, in detail

January

Not recommended
10°6° at night
  • 181 mm · 21 d
  • 3.9 h
  • sea 10°

Low season, lower prices

February

Not recommended
10°6° at night
  • 173 mm · 21 d
  • 4.9 h
  • sea 10°

Low season, lower prices

March

Not recommended
10°6° at night
  • 173 mm · 19 d
  • 7 h
  • sea 10°

Low season, lower prices

April

Fair
12°7° at night
  • 96 mm · 15 d
  • 9.3 h
  • sea 10°

Low season, lower prices

May

Recommended
14°10° at night
  • 106 mm · 17 d
  • 10.4 h
  • sea 13°

Busy, without the crush

June

Recommended
16°12° at night
  • 110 mm · 17 d
  • 10.4 h
  • sea 15°

Busy, without the crush

July

Recommended
17°13° at night
  • 132 mm · 19 d
  • 9.7 h
  • sea 15°

High season, book early

August

Recommended
17°14° at night
  • 165 mm · 22 d
  • 9.1 h
  • sea 15°

High season, book early

September

Recommended
16°12° at night
  • 154 mm · 19 d
  • 7.6 h
  • sea 15°

Busy, without the crush

October

Fair
14°11° at night
  • 207 mm · 20 d
  • 5.7 h
  • sea 14°

Low season, lower prices

November

Not recommended
12°8° at night
  • 190 mm · 20 d
  • 4.3 h
  • sea 13°

Low season, lower prices

December

Not recommended
11°7° at night
  • 229 mm · 24 d
  • 3.2 h
  • sea 11°

Quiet, then the holidays

Read the twelve months in detail

January. Cool: 10 °C at best, 6 °C at night. A very wet month, 181 mm of rain over 21 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (3.9 h a day). Sea at 10 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.

February. Cool: 10 °C at best, 6 °C at night. A very wet month, 173 mm of rain over 21 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (4.9 h a day). Sea at 10 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.

March. Cool: 10 °C at best, 6 °C at night. A very wet month, 173 mm of rain over 19 days. Expect 7 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 10 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.

April. Cool: 12 °C at best, 7 °C at night. Frequent rain: 96 mm over 15 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.3 h a day on average. Sea at 10 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.

May. Cool: 14 °C at best, 10 °C at night. Frequent rain: 106 mm over 17 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.4 h a day on average. Sea at 13 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.

June. Cool: 16 °C at best, 12 °C at night. Frequent rain: 110 mm over 17 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.4 h a day on average. Sea at 15 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.

July. Cool: 17 °C at best, 13 °C at night. Frequent rain: 132 mm over 19 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.7 h a day on average. Sea at 15 °C, too cold to swim. High season: book early.

August. Cool: 17 °C at best, 14 °C at night. Frequent rain: 165 mm over 22 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.1 h a day on average. Sea at 15 °C, too cold to swim. High season: book early.

September. Cool: 16 °C at best, 12 °C at night. Frequent rain: 154 mm over 19 days. Expect 7.6 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 15 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.

October. Cool: 14 °C at best, 11 °C at night. Frequent rain: 207 mm over 20 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (5.7 h a day). Sea at 14 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.

November. Cool: 12 °C at best, 8 °C at night. A very wet month, 190 mm of rain over 20 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (4.3 h a day). Sea at 13 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.

December. Cool: 11 °C at best, 7 °C at night. A very wet month, 229 mm of rain over 24 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (3.2 h a day). Sea at 11 °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 the Ring of Kerry?

May to September: over these months, recorded highs range from 14 to 17 °C, with 19 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Kerry Cliffs).

Which month should you avoid in the Ring of Kerry?

December: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 229 mm over 24 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Kerry Cliffs).

What is the hottest month in the Ring of Kerry?

July, with 17 °C on average in the afternoon and 13 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Kerry Cliffs).

What is the coldest month in the Ring of Kerry?

January, with 10 °C at best during the day and 6 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Kerry Cliffs).

What is the driest month in the Ring of Kerry?

April: 96 mm over 15 days of rain, against 229 mm in December, the wettest month.

Which month has the most sunshine in the Ring of Kerry?

May, with 10.4 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.

When can you swim in the Ring of Kerry?

The water stays cool all year (warmest 15 °C in June, measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast, Kerry Cliffs): swimming is for the brave.

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Photos: Le sixième rêve / Pexels