Small Craft Warnings Issued for All Irish Coasts

Met Éireann has issued Yellow-level Small Craft Warnings for all coasts of Ireland as strong westerly winds continue to impact marine and coastal areas in the wake of Storm Floris, which swept across the country overnight and into Monday morning.

Ireland endured its windiest day since February, with the storm knocking out power to more than 10,000 homes and businesses in the west and northwest. While no significant structural damage has been reported, the storm delivered powerful gusts and widespread disruption, particularly in coastal and upland regions.

Malin Head in County Donegal recorded a peak gust of 104.5 km/h at 8.00am, the highest wind speed in Ireland since Valentia Observatory registered 109 km/h during a storm on February 20th. ESB Networks confirmed that restoration efforts are ongoing, with repair crews working in challenging conditions.

The first Small Craft Warning is in place from 12:00pm Monday, August 4th, until 11:00am Tuesday, August 5th, with westerly winds forecast to reach Force 6 or higher on the Beaufort scale. The alert applies to all coastal waters around Ireland and was issued at 11:05am on Sunday.

A second warning, updated at 11:19pm Sunday, specifically covers the stretch from Erris Head to Fair Head to Howth Head, where westerly winds are again expected to reach Force 6 or above. This warning is valid from 11:00am Tuesday until midnight on Wednesday, August 6th.