Ireland has a mild, humid, and highly changeable oceanic climate shaped by the Atlantic Ocean, with small temperature extremes and frequent cloud cover. Current climate references and national climatology indicate a temperate maritime regime, with the Köppen climate classification primarily Cfb. Typical summer conditions are cool to pleasantly warm rather than hot, and winters are generally mild, wet, and windy. For residents and expats, the climate is comfortable year-round but is best understood as green, breezy, and often overcast, with the west wetter than the east.