Cork records about 1228mm of rain across roughly 148 wet days a year, which is a 41% chance on an average day. January is the wettest month at 125mm (10% of the annual total) and July the driest at 62mm. Local rain type: drizzle. Cork is Ireland's second city and second wettest — persistent Atlantic drizzle is the norm. Quality waterproofs beat umbrellas in the gusty winds.
Chance of rain on an average day: 41%
Rainfall climatology for Cork. The live hour-by-hour answer for today loads at the top of this page from Open-Meteo and refreshes through the day — the figures below describe a typical year, not today.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Annual rainfall | 1228mm |
| Rain days per year | 148 |
| Odds on an average day | 41% |
| Wettest month | January — 125mm over 18 days |
| Driest month | July — 62mm over 9 days |
| Rain type | drizzle |
| Best dry window | May and June offer the driest conditions with pleasant temperatures. |
| Worst rain window | November through January brings persistent Atlantic rain. |
January delivers 102% more rain than July (125mm vs 62mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
No single month holds more than 10% of the annual total, so rain in Cork is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.
Cork rain is mostly persistent drizzle, where a waterproof shell beats an umbrella.
Rain falls on about 18 days in January against 9 in July — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.
Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.
| Month | Rainfall | Rain days | Chance on a given day | Highs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 125mm | 18 | 60% | 8°C |
| February | 88mm | 12 | 40% | 8°C |
| March | 82mm | 11 | 37% | 10°C |
| April | 68mm | 10 | 33% | 12°C |
| May | 72mm | 10 | 33% | 15°C |
| June | 65mm | 9 | 30% | 17°C |
| July | 62mm | 9 | 30% | 19°C |
| August | 78mm | 11 | 37% | 19°C |
| September | 82mm | 11 | 37% | 17°C |
| October | 112mm | 16 | 53% | 15°C |
| November | 108mm | 15 | 50% | 12°C |
| December | 115mm | 16 | 53% | 10°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Cork we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly probability | 40% | Peak and sustained chance of measurable rain across the next 24 hours. |
| Expected volume | 30% | Total millimetres, which separates a passing shower from a genuine soaking. |
| Timing & duration | 20% | When rain starts, when it eases, and the longest continuous dry window. |
| Local rain type | 10% | Drizzle, brief showers, thunderstorms or monsoon — each needs different gear. |
Live hourly values come from Open-Meteo and refresh through the day. Monthly rainfall figures are climate normals, so they describe a typical year rather than a forecast.
Cork records rain on roughly 148 days a year — about a 41% chance on any given day — totalling around 1228mm.
January, with about 125mm over 18 rain days. That is 10% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
July is the driest month at 62mm across roughly 9 days. May and June offer the driest conditions with pleasant temperatures.
Cork is Ireland's second city and second wettest — persistent Atlantic drizzle is the norm. Quality waterproofs beat umbrellas in the gusty winds.
No. Probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm of rain falls at your location at some point in the period. Check the expected millimetres alongside it: 40% with 0.4mm is a passing shower, 40% with 12mm is a soaking.