Laois County Council

Climate

Laois, as an inland county, does not benefit from the warming effect of the North Atlantic Drift. The Slieve Bloom Mountain, rising to approximately 530 m above mean sea level, and the plateau in the south-east at 180 to 245 m above mean sea level have a further influence on the climate of the area, particularly on the temperature and rainfall distributions. The climate is mild and wet, with the prevailing wind direction from the south-east to the west.Annual average rainfall figures for the period 1961 to 1990 illustrate the variation in rainfall across the County with the lowest rainfall in Ballygritas (794 mm) and the highest being recorded in the Slieve Bloom Mountains at The Cut (1635 mm). March, April and June are generally the driest months, in terms of rainfall amounts and December and January the wettest months.The average annual temperature is 9.5oC with an average maximum of 15.1oC in July and August and average minimum of 4.4 oC in January. The coldest months are January and February, with July and August the warmest.