Cork weather in October

In October, Cork sees average daytime highs of 13°C and overnight lows near 8°C, with 85 mm of rain across 12.4 wet days and about 10.4 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 15°C in the first days to 12°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of October to 9 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Cork's 8th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cork's year-round climate.

Daytime high
13°
6th warmest
Overnight low
8th coldest
Rainfall
85 mm
12.4 wet days
Daylight
10 h 24 min
7:08 AM – 5:30 PM
Cloud cover
77%
8th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.71 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.4
out of 10

Cork is city in County Cork, Munster Province, Ireland.

Air quality
Good
PM2.5 7.9 µg/m³ · 2019
Density
6,005/km²
people per km²

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 15°C in the first days to 12°C by the end.

A typical October day in Cork reaches about 13°C in the afternoon and slips back to 8°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 11°C and 16°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 3°C cooler than September and about 3°C warmer than November.

10°15°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1159
2159
3159
4159
5149
6149
7149
8149
9149
10148
11148
12148
13148
14138
15138
16138
17138
18138
19138
20138
21138
22137
23137
24127
25127
26127
27127
28127
29127
30127
31127

How October really feels in Cork

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

October sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Cork weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 6th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 79130.38.11.3
Feb / 64110.59.61.4
Mar10° / 6211.80.311.52.0
Apr12° / 6912.60.113.62.8
May14° / 6713015.43.7
Jun17° / 10°6410.9016.44.9
Jul18° / 12°6711.80165.4
Aug18° / 12°6911.6014.45.4
Sep16° / 10°6410012.44.8
Oct13° / 8512.4010.43.4
Nov10° / 801208.62.2
Dec / 8412.80.27.61.5

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 76%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12278
22278
32377
42476
52476
62476
72575
82575
92575
102476
112575
122575
132575
142575
152575
162575
172575
182476
192476
202476
212476
222476
232476
242476
252476
262377
272476
282476
292575
302575
312674

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Cork gets around 85 mm of rain over 12.4 wet days in October, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 40% and peaks near 45% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
138
238
338
437
537
636
736
835
935
1035
1135
1235
1336
1436
1537
1638
1739
1840
1941
2042
2143
2243
2344
2445
2545
2645
2745
2845
2944
3044
3144

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of October feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, October lands in the dry band about 92% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
18713
28812
38812
48911
58911
68911
78911
89010
99010
109010
119010
12919
13919
14919
15919
16928
17928
18928
19937
20937
21946
22946
23955
24955
25955
26964
27964
28964
29973
30973
31973

Wind in October

Winds average 15 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 16 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze
3116light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of October to 9 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 120 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:42 AM to 7:35 AM, and sunset from 6:04 PM to 4:59 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:426:04
211.36:446:01
311.26:455:59
411.26:475:57
511.16:495:54
611.06:515:52
711.06:525:50
810.96:545:48
910.86:565:45
1010.86:585:43
1110.76:595:41
1210.67:015:38
1310.67:035:36
1410.57:055:34
1510.47:065:32
1610.47:085:30
1710.37:105:27
1810.27:125:25
1910.27:145:23
2010.17:155:21
2110.07:175:19
2210.07:195:17
239.97:215:15
249.87:235:13
259.87:245:11
269.77:265:09
279.67:285:07
289.67:305:05
299.57:325:03
309.57:345:01
319.47:354:59

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 1.71 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.6 kWh/m² to a high of 5.16 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 1.71 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.2Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.0Moderate
72.0Moderate
82.0Dim
91.9Dim
101.9Dim
111.9Dim
121.8Dim
131.8Dim
141.8Dim
151.8Dim
161.7Dim
171.7Dim
181.6Dim
191.6Dim
201.6Dim
211.6Dim
221.5Dim
231.5Dim
241.5Dim
251.4Dim
261.4Dim
271.4Dim
281.3Dim
291.3Dim
301.3Dim
311.3Dim
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Cork?

Our two travel scores rate October for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

3.4
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

October is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Cork.

What to pack for Cork in October

From October's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In October, Cork sees daytime highs around 13°C and nights near 8°C. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Cork in October

The nearest coast averages about 14°C in October — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 31 km away) is warmest in August at about 16°C and coldest in March near 9°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

10°15°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan10Bracing
Feb9Bracing
Mar9Bracing
Apr10Bracing
May12Bracing
Jun14Bracing
Jul16Cool
Aug16Cool
Sep16Cool
Oct14Bracing
Nov12Bracing
Dec11Bracing

UV index in Cork in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Cork peaks around August 12 at about 6 (high) — a little sun protection helps at midday. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 6 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateLowAug 12UV 6Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May5High
Jun6High
Jul6High
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct2Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Cork?

Cork sits at 51.9°N, 8.5°W, 10 m above sea level, in Ireland. The nearest listed city is Douglas, 4.0 km away.

Cluain MealaKillarneyLimerickTraleeWaterford

Topography around Cork

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Cork.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Cork has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 141 m around an average of 41 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 272 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 916 m.

The land around Cork is covered by artificial surfaces (45%), trees (29%) and grassland (22%) within 3 km, grassland (64%) within 16 km, and grassland (57%) and water (29%) within 80 km.

3 km
141 m
16 km
272 m
80 km
916 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Douglas 4.0 km · Ballincollig 8.0 km · Carrigaline 11 km · Cluain Meala 73 km · Killarney 73 km · Limerick 86 km · Tralee 94 km · Waterford 101 km

Ireland travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 85% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$131,592
2025
Happiness
6.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
96%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
3.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Roman Catholic 69%none 15%Protestant 4%Orthodox 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Cork (51.898°, -8.4706°, elevation 10 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).