How much colder and wetter is the west coast than Dublin?
Wetter much more than colder. Dublin is one of the driest places on the island, at about 750 millimetres of rain a year, while Valentia in Kerry records roughly double that, and the west generally takes 1,000 to 1,400 millimetres over up to 225 wet days against about 150 in the east. Temperatures barely separate them. The Atlantic keeps western winter nights a degree or two milder than Dublin's, and western summer days run a degree or two cooler. What makes the west feel colder is wind and damp together: a Galway headland at 12 degrees in a westerly will test a coat that felt fine in a sheltered Dublin street. Pack for the west with a better waterproof and a proper windproof layer, not a heavier jumper.
Useful pages: The best time to visit Ireland · Irish weather, month by month · What to wear · Weather in Ireland · Experiencing the Irish coastline · Ireland's national parks · Outdoor adventures in Ireland · Travel notices · Ireland photography tips · Ireland weather guide
Sources
- Met Éireann: long term climate averages 1991 to 2020, rainfall and sea temperature data, met.ie
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