Weather
Climate
Ireland, fortunately, does not suffer from the extremes of temperature
experienced by many other countries but can be prone to quite a bit
of wind and rain.
Ireland’s average annual temperature is about 9 °C while the average rainfall varies between 800mm and 2,800mm. Luckily for all Wicklow Way hikers, the east of Ireland suffers from the least amount of rainfall and gets the warmest weather. On the east coast in the summer, the average daily maximum is about 19 °C and in the winter, the average daily minimum is about 2.5 °C.
Mean annual wind speed is about 7 m/sec while strong winds tend to be more frequent in winter than in summer. Rainfall accumulation tends to be highest in winter and lowest in early summer. The annual number of days with more than 1 mm of rain varies between about 150 in the drier parts and over 200 in the wetter parts of the country.
What all this means is that the late spring and summer months are the optimum time of year to go walking in Ireland while late autumn and winter will almost certainly provide wet, cold and windy conditions.
Weather Forecasts
When planning any walking activities in the Irish countryside it’s important
to be aware of the daily weather forecast and plan accordingly.
Although Ireland does not suffer from extremes of temperature, weather conditions can change very quickly in any one day. Sunny mornings can turn to wet and windy afternoons and visibility can deteriorate quickly. You need to be especially mindful of this when walking in the Irish uplands.
While out walking always watch for changes in the weather, if it deteriorates be prepared to alter the route or turn back!
For up to date weather information see the Met Eireann website
Met Eireann - Weather Dial Service:
East and South east: 1550 123 851
Dublin: 1550 123 854
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TV Weather Information:
RTE Aertel page 160 & 161
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