Skellig Michael records about 1400mm of rain across roughly 250 wet days a year, which is a 68% chance on an average day. December is the wettest month at 160mm (11% of the annual total) and June the driest at 70mm. Local rain type: steady rain. Umbrellas are impossible on Skellig Michael — Atlantic gales make them useless. Full waterproofs with sealed seams are essential. Rain and sea spray combine to soak unprepared visitors in minutes.
Chance of rain on an average day: 68%
Rainfall climatology for Skellig Michael. 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 | 1400mm |
| Rain days per year | 250 |
| Odds on an average day | 68% |
| Wettest month | December — 160mm over 29 days |
| Driest month | June — 70mm over 13 days |
| Rain type | steady rain |
| Best dry window | June is the driest month and coincides with puffin season — but even in June, expect rain on most days. |
| Worst rain window | November through January brings fierce Atlantic storms — the island is completely inaccessible and battered by waves reaching the monastery 218m above sea level. |
December delivers 129% more rain than June (160mm vs 70mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
No single month holds more than 11% of the annual total, so rain in Skellig Michael is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.
Skellig Michael rain typically comes as discrete showers, so a compact umbrella and a flexible plan are usually enough.
Rain falls on about 29 days in December against 13 in June — 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 | 150mm | 27 | 90% | 10°C |
| February | 110mm | 20 | 67% | 10°C |
| March | 115mm | 21 | 70% | 11°C |
| April | 85mm | 16 | 53% | 13°C |
| May | 75mm | 14 | 47% | 14°C |
| June | 70mm | 13 | 43% | 16°C |
| July | 80mm | 15 | 50% | 17°C |
| August | 105mm | 19 | 63% | 17°C |
| September | 120mm | 22 | 73% | 16°C |
| October | 145mm | 27 | 90% | 14°C |
| November | 150mm | 27 | 90% | 13°C |
| December | 160mm | 29 | 97% | 11°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Skellig Michael 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.
Skellig Michael records rain on roughly 250 days a year — about a 68% chance on any given day — totalling around 1400mm.
December, with about 160mm over 29 rain days. That is 11% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
June is the driest month at 70mm across roughly 13 days. June is the driest month and coincides with puffin season — but even in June, expect rain on most days.
Umbrellas are impossible on Skellig Michael — Atlantic gales make them useless. Full waterproofs with sealed seams are essential. Rain and sea spray combine to soak unprepared visitors in minutes.
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.