Cork weather by month & the best time to visit
Ireland · seaside town · oceanic / maritime climate
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The best time to visit Cork is July — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 59/100), with August and June close behind. Cork averages about 1,693 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 18°C / 64°F and roughly 96 mm of rain in July.
When is the best time to visit Cork?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Cork is July, then August and June. The dullest month is January (0/100, 117 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Cork?
Cork isn't a sunny place by world standards: about 1,693 hours of sunshine a year. 59 Sunshine Score points separate July (59) from January (0), so the month you pick matters. Cork is the sunniest of the 10 destinations tracked in Ireland. The year's 1,198 mm of rain spreads fairly evenly across the months, with no pronounced dry season.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 | 8° / 46°F | 3° / 37°F | 117 mm | 0 | 9° / 48°F |
| February | 0 | 8° / 46°F | 3° / 37°F | 88 mm | 1 | 10° / 50°F |
| March | 6 | 9° / 48°F | 3° / 37°F | 86 mm | 2 | 9° / 48°F |
| April | 25 | 12° / 54°F | 5° / 41°F | 78 mm | 3 | 10° / 50°F |
| May | 36 | 14° / 57°F | 7° / 45°F | 84 mm | 5 | 14° / 57°F |
| June | 54 | 17° / 63°F | 10° / 50°F | 90 mm | 5 | 14° / 57°F |
| July | 59 | 18° / 64°F | 11° / 52°F | 96 mm | 5 | 14° / 57°F |
| August | 58 | 18° / 64°F | 11° / 52°F | 102 mm | 4 | 13° / 55°F |
| September | 48 | 16° / 61°F | 10° / 50°F | 89 mm | 3 | 15° / 59°F |
| October | 28 | 13° / 55°F | 8° / 46°F | 120 mm | 2 | 14° / 57°F |
| November | 11 | 10° / 50°F | 5° / 41°F | 124 mm | 1 | 13° / 55°F |
| December | 0 | 8° / 46°F | 4° / 39°F | 124 mm | 0 | 11° / 52°F |
Sea temperature in Cork by month
The sea off Cork is warmest in September at around 15°C / 59°F, and coolest in January at 9°C / 48°F. It never reaches comfortable swimming temperatures (21°C+). Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
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Head-to-head
How Cork compares month by month: Cork vs Dublin · Cork vs Shannon · Cork vs Charlestown · all comparisons
Cork: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Cork?
Cork is a seaside town in Ireland with a oceanic / maritime climate — the sea reaches 15°C at its warmest.
How many hours of sunshine does Cork get a year?
Cork gets about 1,693 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around July.
When is the best time to visit Cork?
The sunniest time to visit Cork is July, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 59/100 (with August and June close behind). Expect daytime highs around 18°C / 64°F.
What is the least sunny month in Cork?
January is the least sunny month in Cork, scoring 0/100 with about 117 mm of rain.
Is Cork the sunniest place in Ireland?
Yes — with about 1,693 hours of sunshine a year, Cork has the most annual sunshine of the 10 Ireland destinations tracked by Sunshine Atlas.
What is the sea temperature in Cork?
The sea in Cork ranges from about 9°C (January) to 15°C (September). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Cork?
The typical midday UV index in Cork peaks around 5 (moderate) in May, easing to about 0 (low) in January. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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