New data reveals the power of Storm Éowyn
The devastation wrought by Storm Éowyn can be seen in this aerial photograph of a woodland on the Mayo-Roscommon border. Picture: Adam Kaczmarek
New data from Met Éireann has revealed the devastating power of Storm Éowyn last month.
Knock Airport was one of four weather stations along the western seaboard where mean wind speeds reached violent storm force 11 on Friday, January 24th. The others were Finner in Co Donegal, Mace Head in Co Galway and Malin Head, also in Co Donegal. In the case of the last two, the weather stations recorded hurricane-force 12 winds, with Mace Head setting a new Irish record of 184kph (118mph).
A gust of 157kph (97mph) was recorded at Knock Airport, equalling the record set on December 26, 1997, when Hurricane Stephen struck the West of Ireland. Storm force 10 winds were recorded at the weather station in Belmullet but they did not reach the levels of Hurricane Stephen when wind speeds reached 108mph, which are the joint highest winds ever recorded in Belmullet (108mph was also recorded in 1957).
Hurricane Debbie in September 1961 saw winds of 105mph recorded in Claremorris while Malin Head posted a gust speed of 113mph. That tropical hurricane struck during the day and caused a huge amount of damage and several fatalities.
Prior to Storm Éowyn, the highest gust ever recorded in Ireland was 182kph in Foynes in Co Limerick in 1945.
The Irish Marine Data Buoy Observation Network, managed by the Marine Institute in collaboration with Met Éireann, collected data on ocean weather conditions during Storm Éowyn.
The M3 buoy, located 30 nautical miles (56km) off the Cork coast, recorded a wave height of 20.15 metres – almost the length of a tennis court (23.7 metres). A wave height of 18.75 metres - the height of a four-storey building - was recorded by the M4 buoy, located 83km off the Donegal coast.
Significant wind speeds were recorded by Marine Institute data buoys located off the Galway coast as Storm Éowyn arrived. The Mace Head data buoy sustained winds of 114km/h and gusts up to 162km/h. The data buoy at Lehanagh Pool in Connemara recorded wind speeds of 100km/h and gusts of 150km/h.
