Adapting to the climate in Ireland

Hi Priscilla,
There are no real seasons in Ireland. Temperatures rarely go below 0 or above 20 degrees and the weather can change several times during the day. This is why we say that you can get the 4 seasons in one day in Ireland.
It rains quite a lot throughout the year which means that with humidity low temperatures in the winter feel much cooler than they actually are.
The positive side of things is that we never suffer from extreme heat, extreme cold (snow...), hurricanes, thunderstorms...
It can be more difficult to adapt to the weather in Ireland if you like hot summers where you can eat outside daily...
The weather is very unpredictable and we get wind all year.
A typical weather forecast on TV is:
Cloudy day with scattered showers, some outbreaks of sun and gusty winds.
Hope this helps.
Sergie

I totally agree.

If one is used to warm sunny days, maybe a bit of rain here and there, then the weather in ireland will not be for you.  It rains regularly, and the sun might come out for an hour or so, and then it becomes cloudy again.  And there is really no real seasons in Ireland.  It is generally cool throughout the year, on average, with the winter getting colder than other times, but never dipping below 0C. 

And yes, its really really windy, and its irritating if it rains as well, as the rain will be pelting your face as you walk.  Umbrellas are literally useless, as the winds can be quite strong, just get a really good rainjacket/windbreaker.

I spent 2 years in Ireland, and never really enjoyed the weather.  Only in the few days where you get a really good sunny day.   You have to go to love rain and windy climate, with clouds.  Otherwise it will get to you. 
the joke around is that , the weather is one of the main reasons why a large number of irish folks are depressed and grumpy.   And why they go to the pub so often , as the guinness stout will warm you up and get your spirits high...

I came from snow country. We had 10 feet of snow the winter before we left so I'm very happy with rain. You never have to shovel rain. You do, however, have to watch out for black ice here in winter.

My body seems to be acclimatizing after only a year and a quarter. I find myself *sweating* in 70F weather, a feat never before achieved. I'm actually wearing my tee shirts this year. Amazing.

Still, do not confuse this with balmy. It's not.

The biggest thing I'm learning from the Irish climate is a loopy sort of optimism because no matter what's going on outside it's sure to change within an hour or so. If it's rain, just wait and it will be over. If it's sun, enjoy it now while it lasts. This is not a bad lesson to learn.

The most important thing is that when we get a sunny day, we really treasure it!  Offices will close early so employees can go soak up the sun.

The winter can be a bit rough due to the shortness of daylight hours, but it means you get longer days in the summer.

I lived in the desert for 15 years, so the rain here doen't really bother me.

God yes. We had summer last Tuesday, with sun and temperatures in the mid 70sF to mid 80s someplace in the midlands (I think). We dropped all plans, hopped on our bikes and peddled 6km to the beach. Where I got to swim for the first time in over a year. (Swimming is one of the few things I miss.) We ate greasy chips and ice cream (a 99, of course), lolled in the unaccustomed sun. We peddled back to our village for a pint in the quiet local pub, then lurched home to a deliriously joyous welcome from the Poor Starving Dogs.

We do have more sun in summer and the days are an amazing length, even for someone who used to live near the Canadian border. We start to think "Oh, it must be nearly teatime," only to realize it's 8:30 pm. Blackout curtains help with the early sunrise (4:30 am in the height of summer).

I invested in a wax cotton Barbour coat and it has been very useful. The rain is fond of Ireland, as they say.

The weather here is a lot like Eugene, Oregon if you've ever been there. It rains a lot, but the weather can be schizophrenic. Rain this morning, the sun comes out, then a sprinkle, then grey clouds, then sunshine again. It's only consistent in being unpredictable.

Totally agree. In New England we used to say "If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes." By which, I now realize, we actually meant "wait an hour or two." In Ireland the five-minute parameter applies, which has caused me to learn in an almost visceral way, the meaning of "this too shall pass"--and sometimes rather quickly. It does rain way more often and stays longer in winter.

I bought a snazzy red Jack Murphy raincoat immediately upon arrival. It looks very nice, keeps out the rain and doesn't make me feel as if I'm walking around in a plastic bag. Jack Murphy appears to be the LL Bean of Ireland.