AI-generatedCork at a glance
- Best time
- Jun – Sep
- Warmest month
- Jul · 18°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 16.4°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,460 h
- Rain a year
- 838 mm
- Climate
- Maritime
- Time zone
- UTC+0 / UTC+1
- Elevation
- 10 m
Climate in Cork
Cork has a maritime climate with moderate summers and cool, often grey winters. July is the warmest month with average highs of 18 °C, while January is the coolest at 9 °C. With around 1,460 hours of sunshine a year, Cork is rather dull; May is the sunniest month with 6.2 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: June – September
Keep in mindFrequent rain
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 11°
- Midday, 13:00: about 14°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 14°
- Evening, 20:00: about 12°
- Night, 23:00: about 12°
07:5618:43
Cool evenings: pack a jumper or a jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 07:36–08:43 · evening 17:56–19:03
- Blue hour
- Morning 07:22–07:36 · evening 19:03–19:16
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
What is the weather like in Cork in October?
In October, Cork is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sea averages 14.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 14 rainy days and 100 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 30 km/h. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Cork.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 10 h 46 min07:56 – 18:43
- UV index
- 2 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 30 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 73 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC+1Europe/Dublin
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %59 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %3 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %31 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
- Windproof jacket
Sea temperature in Cork
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 13.2 – 14.8 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Cork ranges from 9.3 °C in March to 16.4 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
The sea warms up slowly: it is warmest in August, while the air already peaks in July. From October to February the sea is even warmer than the afternoon air. The sea temperature varies from year to year: in August, eight out of ten years were between 15.6 and 17.3 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 9.8° | 9.1° | 10.4° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 9.4° | 8.8° | 9.9° | cold |
| MarchMar | 9.3° | 8.6° | 9.9° | cold |
| AprilApr | 10.1° | 9.7° | 10.8° | cold |
| MayMay | 12.0° | 11.1° | 12.8° | cold |
| JuneJun | 14.4° | 13.4° | 15.8° | cold |
| JulyJul | 16.0° | 15.0° | 17.2° | cold |
| AugustAug | 16.4° | 15.6° | 17.3° | cold |
| SeptemberSep | 15.7° | 14.9° | 16.8° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 14.1° | 13.2° | 14.8° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 12.2° | 11.1° | 13.0° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 10.6° | 9.9° | 11.2° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Cork
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 3.2 of 10.8 hours of daylight in Cork, 30 % of the day.
Sunshine hours: measured at the weather station 6 km away, averages 1991–2020 (WMO climate normals). Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
UV index in Cork
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 2 · lowLittle protection needed; sunglasses on bright days.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 7).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 70 min
- Fair skin
- about 90 min
- Light brown skin
- over 2 h
- Olive skin
- over 2 h
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Rain in Cork: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Cork has about 14 rainy days with 100 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Cork
How breezy and how cloudy Cork is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Cork typically peaks at 30 km/h during the day: Beaufort 5, fresh breeze.
Breezy months for windsurfing and kiting
From Beaufort 4 (20 km/h) the daily breeze is usually enough for windsurfing and often for kiting, and here it gets there all year.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 73 % of the sky over Cork: mostly cloudy, with about 3.2 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Cork
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
CoolOctober: nights around 11°. A duvet at night and a jumper for the evening.
The coolest nights are in February (5°), the warmest in August (14°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from December to April, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sea | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 14 | 9° | 6° | 9.8° | 2.0 h | 13 | 80 |
| FebruaryFeb | 20 | 9° | 5° | 9.4° | 2.6 h | 11 | 65 |
| MarchMar | 27 | 10° | 6° | 9.3° | 3.6 h | 11 | 62 |
| AprilApr | 42 | 12° | 7° | 10.1° | 5.3 h | 10 | 58 |
| MayMay | 58 | 14° | 10° | 12.0° | 6.2 h | 11 | 55 |
| JuneJun | 71 | 17° | 12° | 14.4° | 6.1 h | 10 | 58 |
| JulyJul | 74 | 18° | 14° | 16.0° | 5.3 h | 10 | 58 |
| AugustAug | 73 | 18° | 14° | 16.4° | 5.1 h | 11 | 67 |
| SeptemberSep | 64 | 17° | 13° | 15.7° | 4.3 h | 10 | 64 |
| OctoberOct | 39 | 14° | 11° | 14.1° | 3.2 h | 14 | 100 |
| NovemberNov | 25 | 11° | 8° | 12.2° | 2.5 h | 13 | 84 |
| DecemberDec | 17 | 9° | 6° | 10.6° | 1.8 h | 14 | 89 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
51.90° N, 8.47° W · 10 m · Europe/Dublin
Best time to visit Cork
The best time to visit Cork is from June to September. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 16.4 °C. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from June to September. Rain is most frequent from October to January; the wettest month is October with 100 mm.
Cork through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Cork in spring
Mar – May
Fair
- 10–14 °C by day
- Sea 11 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 32 rainy days in all
Cork in summer
Jun – Aug
Good
- 17–18 °C by day
- Sea 16 °C
- 6 h of sun a day
- 31 rainy days in all
Cork in autumn
Sep – Nov
Fair
- 11–17 °C by day
- Sea 14 °C
- 3 h of sun a day
- 37 rainy days in all
Cork in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 9 °C by day
- Sea 10 °C
- 2 h of sun a day
- 38 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Cork for you.
Your best months: June – August
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Cork
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
July has the better holiday weather in Cork: score 74 against 39. In July, days are 4 °C warmer than in October. The sea is 2 °C warmer in July. July has 4 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 2 hours longer a day in July.
| Month | October | July |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 39 | 74better |
| Day high | 14° | 18° |
| Night low | 11° | 14° |
| Sea | 14.1° | 16.0° |
| Sunshine | 3.2 h | 5.3 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 14 | 10better |
| Rainfall | 100 mm | 58 mmbetter |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No month
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
Jun – Sep
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Oct – Jan
12 or more rainy days
Cork month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
14January9° · Sea 10° · 2 h
In January, Cork is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 9.8 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 80 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 32 km/h. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Cork.
Cork in January20February9° · Sea 9° · 3 h
In February, Cork is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 9.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 65 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 32 km/h. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Cork.
Cork in February27March10° · Sea 9° · 4 h
In March, Cork is cold: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 9.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 62 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 29 km/h. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Cork.
Cork in March42April12° · Sea 10° · 5 h
In April, Cork is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 10.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 58 mm in total. All in all, April is a so-so month for a holiday in Cork.
Cork in April58May14° · Sea 12° · 6 h
In May, Cork is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 12.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 55 mm in total. All in all, May is a so-so month for a holiday in Cork.
Cork in May71June17° · Sea 14° · 6 h
In June, Cork is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 14.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 58 mm in total. All in all, June is a good month for a holiday in Cork.
Cork in June74July18° · Sea 16° · 5 h
In July, Cork is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. The sea averages 16.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 58 mm in total. All in all, July is a good month for a holiday in Cork.
Cork in July73August18° · Sea 16° · 5 h
In August, Cork is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. The sea averages 16.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 67 mm in total. All in all, August is a good month for a holiday in Cork.
Cork in August64September17° · Sea 16° · 4 h
In September, Cork is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sea averages 15.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 64 mm in total. All in all, September is a good month for a holiday in Cork.
Cork in September39October14° · Sea 14° · 3 h
In October, Cork is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sea averages 14.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 14 rainy days and 100 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 30 km/h. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Cork.
Cork in October25November11° · Sea 12° · 3 h
In November, Cork is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 12.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 84 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 31 km/h. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Cork.
Cork in November17December9° · Sea 11° · 2 h
In December, Cork is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 10.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 14 rainy days and 89 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 33 km/h. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Cork.
Cork in DecemberCork compared
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Cork vs. Cóbh
In October the holiday weather in Cork and Cóbh is about equally good (score 39 vs. 39). During the day it is about as warm in Cóbh as in Cork. The sea is about equally warm.
| in October | Cork | Cóbh |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 39 | 39 |
| Daytime high | 14° | 14° |
| Sea | 14° | 14° |
| Sunshine | 3 h | 3 h |
| Rainy days | 14 | 14 |
| Best time | Jun – Sep | Apr – Aug |
Through the year
Ireland in October: the best places
In October, Cork ranks 2 of 18 destinations in this country.
- Dublin14°14°40
- 2CorkThis page14°14°39
- 3Kilkenny14°39
- 4Waterford14°37
- 5Killarney14°36
- 6Limerick14°34
- 7Bray14°14°9
- 8Dún Laoghaire14°14°9
Planning a trip to Cork
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Cork in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Cork has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 73) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 16).
- 38
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 11 °C by day
- Sea 10 °C
- 4.8 h of sun a day
- 10 rainy days a month
- 61
May half-term
May – Jun
Good
- 15 °C by day
- Sea 12 °C
- 6.2 h of sun a day
- 10 rainy days a month
- 73
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
GoodBest holidays
- 18 °C by day
- Sea 16 °C
- 5.2 h of sun a day
- 10 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 39
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 14 °C by day
- Sea 14 °C
- 3.2 h of sun a day
- 14 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 16
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- 9 °C by day
- Sea 10 °C
- 1.9 h of sun a day
- 13 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 1 h 10 min
- Distance
- 550 km
- Time zone
- UTC+1
- Jet lag
- Hardly any (under 3 h)
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Frequently asked questions about Cork
When is the best time to visit Cork?
The best time to visit Cork is from June to September. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Cork?
The sea temperature in Cork ranges from 9.3 °C in March to 16.4 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in Cork in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 14.1 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
What is the warmest month in Cork?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 18 °C and nights around 14 °C. January is the coolest month at 9 °C.
When does it rain most in Cork?
Rain is most frequent from October to January; the wettest month is October with 100 mm. The driest month is May with 55 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Cork get?
Cork gets around 1,460 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is May with 6.2 hours a day; in December there are 1.8 hours a day.
What time zone is Cork in?
Cork uses the time zone Europe/Dublin: UTC+0 in January and UTC+1 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Cork?
A nonstop flight from London to Cork takes about 1 h 10 min, for a straight-line distance of about 550 km.
Which school holidays are best for Cork?
Cork has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 73) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 16). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 38, May half-term 61, Summer holidays 73, October half-term 39, Christmas holidays 16.
Near Cork
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Cork
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Cork's – good alternatives.