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Weather in Ireland in February

Weather in Ireland in February Feature Image
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Ireland in February

The end of a rainbow in County Galway, Ireland.
Although the weather tends to be mixed, February can be a great low season time to visit Ireland.
Photo by Chris Hill via Ireland’s Content Pool

February is low season in Ireland, so if you are looking for a cost efficient way to explore the Emerald Isle, then this might be a good month for you to plan your Ireland holidays.

There are plenty of things to do in Ireland in winter, so you should never fear getting bored. Certain times of the year are more suitable to specific activities and attractions though, so make sure that the weather and conditions in February suit your itinerary.

Most years February in Ireland can be a bit wintery, with cold weather, rain, maybe some snow and, of course, short days. This combination makes the month a superb one to have an itinerary filled with indoor attractions and events. 

It is a great time to city hop and explore some of the differences in Irish culture between the different regions. The vibe in Galway city is very different to that in Dublin, for example and Belfast (Northern Ireland) has its own unique history and atmosphere. It is well worth spending a few days checking out each of these great cities!

(For some travel tips about Dublin, read our must-see sights and some unusual sights)

Stormy weather off the coast of Donegal, Ireland.
Storm weather off the coast of County Donegal.
Photo by Iain Miller via Ireland’s Content Pool

The rugged landscape in western Ireland along the Wild Atlantic Way can look exceptionally beautiful during the wild winter weather, but outdoor activity options can be restricted at times due to the weather conditions. The same can be said for the Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland. 

Long road trips or longer day tour excursions are possible, but bad weather can also make them a bit trickier. It becomes dark quite early in the evenings, between 5 pm and 6 pm, so this should also be considered.

In Ireland hotels are likely to be reasonably quiet, with the exception of the time around Valentine’s Day.

Low season can be an affordable time to stay in some very special accommodation. Staying in a fairytale castle is on the wish list of many people, perhaps you can make it a reality during this holiday?

 

 

If you have questions about Ireland in February, read the content of our longer post here. For more general Ireland travel information, click on the link to our post on the best time to travel to Ireland

Weather in Ireland in February

View of Clare Island, County Mayo, Ireland on a rainy day.
February can bring plenty of grey skies and rain in Ireland, so pack well!
Photo by Christian McLeod via Ireland’s Content Pool

While Ireland may be a cold month by Irish standards, for many visitors, it is still quite mild. The average temperature range falls between about 2-9 °C (36-48°F) and very cold spells with a low temperature below freezing last only a few days at most. 

Many years February can be a bit stormy at times, so watch out for windy weather.

It is often a bit wilder on the western Ireland coast due to the storms that blow in from the Atlantic. Dublin and the east coast can be a bit cooler around this time and receive a little less rainfall than other parts of the country.

There is a chance of snow in Ireland in February. Although snowfall is usually quite light in Ireland, it is worth mentioning that generally the infrastructure is not that used to dealing with snow, so everything moves a good bit slower, even if snowfall is quite light. 

If you are planning outdoor activities or a road trip, stay flexible with your itinerary and keep updated with the weather forecast so you can plan the most suitable day. (Keep an eye out for clear weather if you want to try to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights!)

February is one of the months with the coldest water temperature so unless you are very well prepared, you are unlikely to do too many water activities at this time of year. 

When the weather isn’t likely to influence your Ireland travel itinerary too much, this month is a good time of the year to select Ireland as a holiday destination and save a lot of money.

Around Ireland hotels are usually cheaper during this low season time and you are also likely to get better deals on air fares from far off locations such as the United States.

It can be difficult to compare the weather in Ireland in February with the weather in Ireland in March etc., so for more weather comparison content about Ireland, read our weather in Ireland in March post here.

Temperature in Ireland in February

Generally, the average daily temperature in Ireland in February is around 5 °C. Most days the February average temperature does not deviate too much from the range of about 2-9 ° C (36-48 °F). 

In the average low temperatures, you need to wrap up well, particularly if the wind is strong and it is rainy or damp. If you are planning a longer trip, make sure that your clothing suits the weather forecast of the day!

Due to its mild maritime climate, Ireland generally escapes the heavy snows that are common in other locations of similar latitudes.

This might make it a good destination for some holiday makers who want to travel at this time of year and save on the experience of very snowy, wintery conditions.  

During this month the water temperature is quite low ranging from about 6-10 °C (43-50 °F).

DublinCorkGalwayBelfast, Northern Ireland
Average temperature February5 °C
41 °F
6 °C
43 °F
6 °C
43 °F
4 °C
39 °F
Min. and max temperatures February2-8 °C
36-46 °F
3-8 °C
37-46 °F
3-9 °C
37-48 °F
2-7 °C
36-45 °F
Sunrise and sunset February 1st8.10 a.m. - 5.07 p.m.8.14 a.m. - 5.21 p.m.8.21 a.m. - 5.18 p.m.8.13 a.m. - 5.01 p.m.

Rain in Ireland in February

Most years, February is not one of the wettest months in the Irish weather calendar, but nevertheless you should still expect some rain during the month. Even if it is not raining, there may be plenty of grey skies with a lot of cloud cover at this time of year.

Dublin often escapes with a little less rainfall than other areas of southern and western Ireland with the average monthly rainfall for February roughly about 50 mm or 2 ” (based on the data from Dublin Airport weather station report). Most of this rain is spread over about 10 days, but each year this differs. 

Cork in the south is a bit wetter, with about double the average rainfall that Dublin receives.

 
DublinCorkGalwayBelfast, Northern Ireland
Average Rainfall February48 mm
2″
98 mm
4″
76 mm
4″
67 mm
3″
No. of wet days (> 1.0 mm 0.04″ precipitation)
February
10131217

Wind in Ireland in February

February is one of the windier months in Ireland. Wind speeds from Dublin Airport weather station indicated that the average values are about 26 kmh (16 mph), but this varies greatly across the country.

There are occasional weather warnings in place across Ireland on days when winter storms blow in from the north Atlantic. During storms like Storm Ciara, Storm Dennis and Storm Jorge (February 2020) storm force winds were recorded. 

Weather in Dublin Ireland in February

Howth Head, County Dublin, Ireland.
Howth Head, a short distance outside of Dublin is a great day or half day trip from the city center.
Photo by Brian Morrison / Tourism Ireland via Ireland’s Content Pool

Is February a good time to visit Dublin Ireland? Yes, of course! But this does depend on what exactly on the things you want to do and see on your Ireland travel vacation. 

Dublin is a great winter of February destination break. As the capital city of Ireland, it has a multitude of fabulous attractions that are not impacted by the weather conditions.

There are also some interesting day or even half day excursions to nearby towns in County Dublin such as Bray, Greystone or even Howth that are well worth checking out.  

The weather Dublin has to offer is probably going to be mixed at this time of year. Dublin in February has average temperatures between 2-8 °C (36-46 °F), but if you wrap up with layer and good waterproof clothes, the low temperature weather, rain or wind is unlikely to be too much of a problem.

If your itinerary is flexible, then you can arrange your schedule to suit the weather forecast of the day.

Most years, Dublin February receives less rainfall on average than some of the other months around this time. Dublin also tends to be a bit drier with fewer wet days than southern or western Ireland for example. 

It is a little colder in Dublin as it is further away from the moderating Gulf Stream influence that keeps the conditions on the west coast mild in winter. Snow is however a possibility, but a relatively rare occurrence especially on low level ground. 

Many tourists wait until the weather is a bit better later in the year to visit Ireland. As February is low season, the deals on hotels or air fare travel might be a good incentive to visit Dublin and save on the expense.

For some more content about what to do in Dublin, click the link to our article secret sights.

Visiting Ireland in February

What is Ireland like in February? Well, weather-wise it can be mixed. Ireland in winter, can be cool, wet and windy, but when the weather is poor outside, then the great variety of indoor attractions, events, restaurants, pubs and all round hospitality will keep you occupied!

February is an ideal time to visit if your Ireland travel budget is limited and you want to save on some of the expense. This is one of the main advantages of traveling to Ireland at this time.

February is low season and hotels Ireland has to offer are likely to have more vacancies and perhaps good off season bargains during this month. 

There are fewer tourists traveling to Ireland in February which means that you can enjoy the beauty of Ireland’s landscape with some solitude, you don’t have to queue as much for attractions, can get better crows-free photographs in the top sights and might be able to avail of off season discounts. 

However, remember that February is not known for its good weather in Ireland so you may encounter weather conditions such as poor visibility which might make that one time trip to the Cliffs of Moher or similar destinations a bit of a disappointment.

Cahir Castle, County Tipperary, Ireland on a crisp day in winter.
Ireland’s many great ancient ruins, including Cahir Castle in County Tipperary, are an ideal addition to an Ireland travel itinerary during February.
Photo by Brian Morrison via Ireland’s Content Pool

There are pros and cons to visiting Ireland in every month of the year and the financial savings should be weighed up against the high likelihood of poorer winter weather conditions, shorter days and the fact that not all attractions might be open. 

If you have picked Ireland as a holiday destination because you want to do a longer road trip, then this month might not be the best one for this kind of itinerary. Poor weather and early dark evenings make traveling on country roads a bit more tricky.

While road trips like Wild Atlantic Way in western Ireland or Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland are of course possible in February, generally speaking, this time of year is better for staying in one location (possibly a town or city) for a few days and moving on to the next. 

The content of our other posts about Ireland in February and the best time to visit Ireland are there to help you decide when the best time to plan your holiday is. Read about Ireland in February here for some ideas about places to visit in Ireland in February and for general travel tips and questions about Ireland vacations throughout the year, click on the link here.