The climate of Ireland is mild, moist and changeable with abundant rainfall and a lack

of temperature extremes. Ireland's climate is defined as a temperate oceanic climate, or Cfb on

the Köppen climate classification system, a classification it shares with most of northwest
Europe.[1][2] The country receives generally cool summers and mild winters. It is considerably
warmer than other areas on its latitude, because it lies in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, and as
a result is warmed by the North Atlantic Current all year.
As a small island downwind of a large ocean, the climate of Ireland is profoundly impacted by
that ocean. The Atlantic overturning circulation, which includes ocean currents such as the North
Atlantic Current, moves heat northwards, which is then carried by the prevailing winds towards
Ireland.[3]
The prevailing wind blows from the southwest, breaking on the high mountains of the west coast.
Rainfall is therefore a particularly prominent part of western Irish life, with Valentia Island, off the
west coast of County Kerry, getting almost twice as much annual rainfall as Dublin on the east
(1,400 mm or 55.1 in vs. 762 mm or 30.0 in).
January and February are the coldest months of the year, and mean daily air temperatures fall
between 4 and 7 °C (39.2 and 44.6 °F) during these months. July and August are the warmest,
with mean daily temperatures of 14 to 16 °C (57.2 to 60.8 °F), whilst mean daily maximums in
July and August vary from 17 to 18 °C (62.6 to 64.4 °F) near the coast, to 19 to 20 °C (66.2 to
68.0 °F) inland. The sunniest months are May and June, with an average of five to seven hours
sunshine per day.[4] Though extreme weather events in Ireland are comparatively rare when
compared with other countries in the European Continent, they do occur. Atlantic depressions,
occurring mainly in the months of December, January and February, can occasionally bring
winds of up to 160 km/h or 99 mph to Western coastal counties, with the winter of 2013/14 being
the stormiest on record.[5] During the summer months, and particularly around late July/early
August, thunderstorms can develop.

Ireland experiences a lack of temperature extremes compared to other areas at similar latitudes.
There is regional variation, with inland areas being cooler in winter and warmer in summer than
their coastal counterparts.
The warmest areas are found along the southwest coast. Valentia Island has the highest average
temperature, at 10.9 °C.
The coldest areas are found inland. Mullingar has the lowest average temperature, at 9.3 °C
The highest temperature ever recorded in Ireland was 33.3 °C at Kilkenny Castle, on 26 June
1887. The lowest temperature was -19.1 °C at Markree Castle on 16 January 1881.[9]
Six of the warmest ten years in Ireland have occurred since 1990.[10] Due to climate change, it is
estimated that the temperatures will rise everywhere of up to 3.4 degrees by the end of the
century. [11]
Extreme heat and cold are both rare throughout the country. Summer temperatures exceed
30 °C usually once or twice every decade (2016, 2013, 2006, 2005, 2003, 1995, 1990, 1989,
1983, 1976 and 1975 are recent examples), although they commonly reach the high 20s most
summers, while severe freezes occur only occasionally in winter, with temperatures below -10 °C
being very uncommon in the lowlands, and temperatures below freezing uncommon in many
coastal areas, although temperatures in the Wicklow Mountains are said to reach -10 °C
annually.[citation needed]