Galway Sunshine Hours by Month

To truly understand a climate, we must look at its sunshine. This page shows the total number of hours of direct sunlight per month and the average hours per day in Galway, Galway County, Ireland. These averages rely on historical data collected over 30 years, from 1990 to 2020.

Monthly hours of sunshine

Sunshine in Galway varies greatly throughout the year. The sunniest month, May, reaches an impressive 157 hours, while December, the darkest month, offers only 35 hours. The total annual amount of sun is 1114 hours.

Daily hours of sunshine

For those who appreciate different seasons, Galway serves as an ideal destination. Expect longer, more sun-filled days in May with an average of 5.2 hours of sunshine daily, and embrace the darker days in December, offering only 1.2 hours of daily sunlight.

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 17%.

Galway enjoys an average of 1114 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, Juneau, Alaska, receives only about 1523 hours of sunshine per year and is known for its very short days in winter and frequently overcast conditions.

Meanwhile, Buenos Aires, Argentina, enjoys a humid subtropical climate with 2520 hours of sunshine annually.

In Tokyo, Japan, the average annual sunshine is 1930 hours, with sunny periods between rainy seasons.

December, Galway’s wettest month, receives 93 mm (3.7 in) of rainfall and has a maximum daytime temperature of 10°C (50°F). During the driest month April you can expect a temperature of 14°C (57°F).

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