Cork Sunshine Hours by Month

In climate discussions, the hours of sunlight reveal much about a location. This page shows the total number of hours of direct sunlight per month and the average hours per day in Cork, County Cork, Ireland. These averages rely on historical data collected over 30 years, from 1990 to 2020.

Monthly hours of sunshine

Those who love seasonal contrasts will appreciate Cork. Expect long, bright days with 194 hours in May and darker periods with just 56 hours in December. The total annual amount of sun is 1435 hours.

Daily hours of sunshine

Seasonal changes in sunshine hours are quite obvious in Cork. While May receives considerable daily sunshine with up to 6.5 hours, December marks the darkest time of the year, where sunshine is scarce with only 1.9 hours of sunlight per day.

Average percent of sunshine

On average the sun shines 40% of the time during the day in May, the highest percentage of any month. December has the lowest percentage at 20%.

Cork enjoys an average of 1435 hours of sunshine annually. Let’s compare this with some popular tourist destinations:

In Barcelona, Spain, there are 2530 hours of sunshine annually and is a city that can be visited year-round.

In contrast, London, UK, receives only about 1659 hours of sunshine per year, known for its frequently overcast and rainy skies.

The climate in San Francisco, USA, includes 3072 hours of sunshine annually, thanks to its mild coastal weather.

Perth, Australia, enjoys 3180 hours of sunshine annually, the highest among major Australian cities.

October, Cork’s wettest month, receives 74 mm (2.9 in) of rainfall and has a maximum daytime temperature of 15°C (59°F). During the driest month May you can expect a temperature of 15°C (59°F).

For more detailed insights into the city’s temperatures, check out our Temperature page. To explore more about precipitation patterns, visit our Cork Precipitation page.