AI-generatedSligo at a glance
- Best time
- Apr – Jun
- Warmest month
- Aug · 17°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 15.7°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,280 h
- Rain a year
- 1,234 mm
- Climate
- Maritime
- Time zone
- UTC+0 / UTC+1
- Elevation
- 13 m
Climate in Sligo
Sligo has a maritime climate with moderate summers and cool, often grey winters. August is the warmest month with average highs of 17 °C, while January is the coolest at 8 °C. With around 1,280 hours of sunshine a year, Sligo is rather dull; May is the sunniest month with 5.9 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: April – June
Keep in mindFrequent rain
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 9°
- Midday, 13:00: about 12°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 13°
- Evening, 20:00: about 11°
- Night, 23:00: about 11°
08:0018:39
Cold evenings: bring a warm jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 07:38–08:49 · evening 17:50–19:01
- Blue hour
- Morning 07:24–07:38 · evening 19:01–19:15
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 Sligo in October?
In October, Sligo is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 13.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 119 mm. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sligo.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 10 h 39 min08:00 – 18:39
- UV index
- 2 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 22 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 79 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
- Time zone
- UTC+1Europe/Dublin
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %0 %
- Seaweight 25 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %1 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in October
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sea temperature in Sligo
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 13.0 – 13.9 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Sligo ranges from 8.2 °C in February to 15.7 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
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 15.0 and 16.5 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 8.8° | 8.4° | 9.2° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 8.2° | 7.5° | 8.8° | cold |
| MarchMar | 8.4° | 7.6° | 9.1° | cold |
| AprilApr | 9.5° | 8.5° | 10.3° | cold |
| MayMay | 11.5° | 10.6° | 12.6° | cold |
| JuneJun | 13.6° | 12.7° | 14.6° | cold |
| JulyJul | 15.1° | 14.2° | 16.3° | cold |
| AugustAug | 15.7° | 15.0° | 16.5° | cold |
| SeptemberSep | 15.0° | 14.5° | 15.7° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 13.5° | 13.0° | 13.9° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 11.7° | 11.0° | 12.3° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 10.1° | 9.6° | 10.5° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Sligo
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 2.8 of 10.7 hours of daylight in Sligo, 26 % of the day.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
UV index in Sligo
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 85 min
- Fair skin
- about 110 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 Sligo: 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, Sligo has about 18 rainy days with 119 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Sligo
How breezy and how cloudy Sligo 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 Sligo typically peaks at 22 km/h during the day: Beaufort 4, moderate 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: Sep – May.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 79 % of the sky over Sligo: mostly cloudy, with about 2.8 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 Sligo
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 9°. A duvet at night and a jumper for the evening.
The coolest nights are in January (4°), the warmest in August (13°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from November 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 | 1 | 8° | 4° | 8.8° | 1.5 h | 17 | 104 |
| FebruaryFeb | 3 | 8° | 4° | 8.2° | 2.3 h | 16 | 99 |
| MarchMar | 4 | 9° | 5° | 8.4° | 3.2 h | 16 | 88 |
| AprilApr | 12 | 12° | 6° | 9.5° | 5.2 h | 15 | 81 |
| MayMay | 13 | 14° | 9° | 11.5° | 5.9 h | 16 | 99 |
| JuneJun | 10 | 16° | 11° | 13.6° | 5.2 h | 16 | 102 |
| JulyJul | 5 | 17° | 13° | 15.1° | 4.4 h | 18 | 111 |
| AugustAug | 6 | 17° | 13° | 15.7° | 4.7 h | 19 | 113 |
| SeptemberSep | 6 | 16° | 12° | 15.0° | 3.7 h | 15 | 94 |
| OctoberOct | 0 | 13° | 9° | 13.5° | 2.8 h | 18 | 119 |
| NovemberNov | 1 | 10° | 7° | 11.7° | 1.8 h | 18 | 111 |
| DecemberDec | 0 | 8° | 5° | 10.1° | 1.3 h | 18 | 113 |
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
54.27° N, 8.47° W · 13 m · Europe/Dublin
Best time to visit Sligo
The best time to visit Sligo is from April to June. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 15.7 °C. The wettest month is October with 119 mm of precipitation.
Sligo through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Sligo in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- 9–14 °C by day
- Sea 10 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 46 rainy days in all
Sligo in summer
Jun – Aug
Poor
- 16–17 °C by day
- Sea 15 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 53 rainy days in all
Sligo in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- 10–16 °C by day
- Sea 13 °C
- 3 h of sun a day
- 51 rainy days in all
Sligo in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 8 °C by day
- Sea 9 °C
- 2 h of sun a day
- 52 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Sligo for you.
Your best months: April – June
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Sligo
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
May has the better holiday weather in Sligo: score 13 against 0. In May, days are 1 °C warmer than in October. The sea is 2 °C cooler in May. May has 2 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 3 hours longer a day in May.
| Month | October | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 0 | 13better |
| Day high | 13° | 14° |
| Night low | 9° | 9° |
| Sea | 13.5° | 11.5° |
| Sunshine | 2.8 h | 5.9 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 18 | 16better |
| Rainfall | 119 mm | 99 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
No month
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
All year
12 or more rainy days
Sligo month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
1January8° · Sea 9° · 2 h
In January, Sligo is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 8.8 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. It rains often – on about 17 days, adding up to 104 mm. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sligo.
Sligo in January3February8° · Sea 8° · 2 h
In February, Sligo is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 8.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 99 mm. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sligo.
Sligo in February4March9° · Sea 8° · 3 h
In March, Sligo is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 8.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 88 mm. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sligo.
Sligo in March12April12° · Sea 10° · 5 h
In April, Sligo is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 9.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 81 mm. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sligo.
Sligo in April13May14° · Sea 12° · 6 h
In May, Sligo is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 11.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 99 mm. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sligo.
Sligo in May10June16° · Sea 14° · 5 h
In June, Sligo is cool: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sea averages 13.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 102 mm. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sligo.
Sligo in June5July17° · Sea 15° · 4 h
In July, Sligo is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sea averages 15.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 111 mm. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sligo.
Sligo in July6August17° · Sea 16° · 5 h
In August, Sligo 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 5 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 19 days, adding up to 113 mm. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sligo.
Sligo in August6September16° · Sea 15° · 4 h
In September, Sligo is cool: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 15.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 94 mm. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sligo.
Sligo in September0October13° · Sea 14° · 3 h
In October, Sligo is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 13.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 119 mm. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sligo.
Sligo in October1November10° · Sea 12° · 2 h
In November, Sligo is cool: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 11.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 111 mm. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sligo.
Sligo in November0December8° · Sea 10° · 1 h
In December, Sligo is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 10.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 1 hours a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 113 mm. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sligo.
Sligo in DecemberSligo compared
Put Sligo side by side with another destination.
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Sligo vs. Donegal
In October the holiday weather in Sligo and Donegal is about equally good (score 0 vs. 0). During the day it is about as warm in Donegal as in Sligo. The sea is about equally warm.
| in October | Sligo | Donegal |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 0 | 0 |
| Daytime high | 13° | 13° |
| Sea | 14° | 14° |
| Sunshine | 3 h | 3 h |
| Rainy days | 18 | 19 |
| Best time | Apr – Jun | Apr – Jun |
Through the year
Ireland in October: the best places
In October, Sligo ranks 16 of 18 destinations in this country.
- Dublin14°14°40
- 2Kilkenny14°39
- 3Cork14°14°39
- 4Waterford14°37
- 5Killarney14°36
- 6Limerick14°34
- 7Dún Laoghaire14°14°9
- 8Bray14°14°9
- 16SligoThis page13°14°0
Planning a trip to Sligo
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Sligo 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.
Sligo has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 12) and its weakest during October half-term (score 0).
- 10
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 11 °C by day
- Sea 9 °C
- 4.6 h of sun a day
- 15 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 12
May half-term
May – Jun
PoorBest holidays
- 14 °C by day
- Sea 12 °C
- 5.8 h of sun a day
- 16 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 6
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Poor
- 17 °C by day
- Sea 15 °C
- 4.6 h of sun a day
- 19 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 0
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 13 °C by day
- Sea 14 °C
- 2.8 h of sun a day
- 18 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 1
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- 8 °C by day
- Sea 9 °C
- 1.4 h of sun a day
- 18 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 15 min
- Distance
- 620 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 Sligo
When is the best time to visit Sligo?
The best time to visit Sligo is from April to June. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Sligo?
The sea temperature in Sligo ranges from 8.2 °C in February to 15.7 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in Sligo in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 13.5 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
What is the warmest month in Sligo?
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 17 °C and nights around 13 °C. January is the coolest month at 8 °C.
When does it rain most in Sligo?
The wettest month is October with 119 mm of precipitation. The driest month is April with 81 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Sligo get?
Sligo gets around 1,280 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is May with 5.9 hours a day; in December there are 1.3 hours a day.
What time zone is Sligo in?
Sligo uses the time zone Europe/Dublin: UTC+0 in January and UTC+1 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Sligo?
A nonstop flight from London to Sligo takes about 1 h 15 min, for a straight-line distance of about 620 km.
Which school holidays are best for Sligo?
Sligo has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 12) and its weakest during October half-term (score 0). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 10, May half-term 12, Summer holidays 6, October half-term 0, Christmas holidays 1.
Near Sligo
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Sligo
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Sligo's – good alternatives.