Including one very big wave off the south-east coast.
A record individual wave measuring 17.81 metres in height was recorded off the south-east coast of Ireland during ex-Hurricane Ophelia on Monday.
The Marine Institute confirmed that record wave heights were captured by the Irish Weather Buoy Network during the ex-hurricane on Monday afternoon, which caused one of five weather buoys to break its moorings.
The highest wave was recorded off the Irish coastline at 4pm on Monday when the M5 weather buoy off the south-east coast measured a record individual wave (Hmax – highest individual wave) of 17.81 metres and a record significant wave height (Hs – significant wave height – the average of the highest one-third of waves that occur in a given period) of 12.97 metres.
To put that record wave into some perspective, 17.8 metres is nearly 60 feet, about the equivalent of a five or six-storey building.
The highest wave during #Ophelia measured a record (Hmax) 17.81m and record significant wave height (Hs) of 12.97m https://t.co/KSnFsB8y4v
— Marine Institute (@MarineInst) October 18, 2017
ICYMI Record individual wave measured in South East by M5 weather buoy during #Ophelia https://t.co/KSnFsBq8W3
— Marine Institute (@MarineInst) October 18, 2017
The M5 weather buoy subsequently broke away from its mooring and the Marine Institute coordinated the retrieval process as a matter of urgency. It was recovered on Tuesday by the MV Puffin of Fastnet Shipping and brought ashore on Tuesday night.
The Marine Institute also revealed that the M2 buoy, to the east of Dublin, experienced a record significant wave height of 6.64 metres, which was measured at 6pm on Monday.
The M3 buoy, meanwhile, located off the south-west coast, measured an individual wave height of 13.59m at around midday on Monday, which was not a record for the buoy.
Two status yellow weather warnings are already in place for Ireland on Friday and Saturday, with most of the country set to experience heavy rain and strong winds as a result.
Met Éireann has also warned that the weather system that may become Storm Brian is set to undergo ‘explosive cyclogenesis’ in the next 24 hours, which could lead to status orange weather warnings for the south and south-west of the country this weekend.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
