Ireland has a cool temperate oceanic climate. Irish winters tend to be cool and windy, while Irish summers are mostly mild and less windy.
Factors that Affect Ireland’s Climate
There are a number of factors that influence climate. 1 2
Distance from Seas and Oceans
Ireland’s Climate
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Altitude and Aspect
Latitude
15 Key Words
North Atlantic Current (NAC)
Latitude
Prevailing wind/air mass
Local climates Altitude Aspect Lapse rate
Relief rainfall Leeward
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Prevailing Winds/ Air Masses
1 Distance from Seas and Oceans Ireland is an island surrounded by an ocean and a sea. The main influence on Ireland’s climate is the Atlantic Ocean and the warm North Atlantic Current (NAC), also known as the North Atlantic Drift, that flows through it.
The NAC is a warm ocean current originating in and flowing northeast from the Gulf of Mexico – the Gulf Stream – towards northwest Europe. The water at the Gulf of Mexico is heated as it is closer to the equator. Without the warming effect of the NAC, Ireland and other places in Europe would be as cold as eastern Canada, which is at the same latitude (explained in the next section).
Managing information and thinking:
Examine the map showing the NAC. List one other country that is being heated by the NAC and another that is cooled by it.
