Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
minutes—often while the sun is shining. The Irish don't consider it
to be true rain unless it's steady and ongoing enough to warrant an
umbrella. In a downpour, you may hear someone complain that it's
“lashing,” “bucketing,” or “pelting.”
The only thing consistent about Irish weather is its changeability,
with the best of times and the worst of times often only hours, or
minutes, apart. There's a saying that in Ireland you get “all four sea-
sons in one day,” which means you could start your day in heavenly,
summery sunshine, get caught in a brief springlike downpour
by lunchtime, go through an autumnal, dry but windy spell in
midafternoon, and need a sweater as a wintry evening chill sets in.
In other words, when packing, think
layers
for any time of year.
In Ireland the thermometers, gratefully, are a lot less busy than
the barometers. Temperatures are mild and fluctuate within what
any New Englander would call “spring.” The generally coldest
months, January and February, bring frosts but seldom snow, and
the warmest months, July and August, rarely become truly hot.
Remember, the Irish consider any temperature over 68°F (20°C) to
be “roasting,” and below 34°F (1°C) as truly “freezing.” Both are
unusual, but funny things happen. On occasion, summer days can
get positively scorching, and last winter Ireland got hit with several
harsh cold snaps that brought not only snow but gale-force winds of
113kmph (70 mph). Think of it this way: The Irish climate is
responsible for those 40 shades of green you'll encounter on your
travels.
For a complete online guide to Irish weather, including year-
round averages, daily updates, and a weather cam of Dublin's city
center, consult
www.ireland.com/weather
.
Average Monthly Temperatures in Dublin
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Temp (°F)
36-46
37-48
37-49
38-52
42-57
46-62
51-66
50-65
48-62
44-56
39-49
38-47
Temp (°C)
2-8
3-9
3-9
3-11
6-14
8-17
11-19
10-18
9-17
7-13
4-9
3-8
HIGH & LOW SEASONS
Apart from climatic considerations, there's the matter of cost and
crowds. Dublin gets tourists year-round and doesn't really have a
low season. It's always fairly crowded, and hotel prices never truly
plummet. A few generalizations, however, might be helpful.
In summer, transatlantic airfares, car-rental rates, and hotel prices
are at their highest and crowds at their most intense. But the days
