Ireland's climate is influenced by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, and is in the path of the prevailing southwesterly winds coming from the Atlantic Ocean. This makes for equitable conditions over the whole country and means Ireland is never exposed to extremes of weather.

The coldest months are January and February, while July and August are warmest. Over the year it generally gets no colder than 1 degree Celsius (34 F) or warmer than about 20 degrees Celsius (68 F). Ireland is renowned for its rain. It can rain at any time of the year, but does so most often in the winter and in the western half of the country.