Belfast Sunshine Hours by Month

Sunshine is key to understanding how a place experiences its seasons. This page shows the total number of hours of direct sunlight per month and the average hours per day in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland. The figures are based on a 30-year period (1990–2020) to provide a reliable average.

Monthly hours of sunshine

Those who love seasonal contrasts will appreciate Belfast. Expect long, bright days with 184 hours in May and darker periods with just 39 hours in December. The total annual amount of sun is 1297 hours.

Daily hours of sunshine

In Belfast, summer days are longer and more sunny, with daily sunshine hours peaking at 6.1 hours in May. As the darker season arrives, the brightness of the sun becomes less. December sees a soft sun for only 1.3 hours per day.

Average percent of sunshine

On average the sun shines 39% of the time during the day in May, the highest percentage of any month. December has the lowest percentage at 15%.

Belfast enjoys an average of 1297 hours of sunshine annually. Let’s compare this with some popular tourist destinations:

The city of Rome, Italy, experiences 2470 hours of sunshine annually, adding to its charm as a year-round tourist destination.

In contrast, Reykjavík, Iceland, receives only about 1330 hours of sunshine per year, known for its frequently overcast and rainy skies.

In Chicago, USA, the annual sunshine averages 2520 hours, contributing to its humid continental climate.

Melbourne, Australia, has 2380 hours of sunshine annually, with its famous “four seasons in a day” weather pattern.

August, Belfast’s wettest month, receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rainfall and has a maximum daytime temperature of 19°C (66°F). During the driest month March you can expect a temperature of 11°C (52°F).

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