Réamhaisnéis limistear na farraige
Forecast valid from: 18:00, Friday 03 April 2026 until 18:00, Saturday 04 April 2026
Small Craft Warning
1. Westerly winds will reach force 6 or higher at times this evening and early tonight (Friday) on Irish coasts from Slyne Head to Malin Head to Howth Head.
2. Southerly or cyclonic variable winds will reach force 6 or higher overnight on Irish coasts from Roches Point to Mizen Head to Loop Head extending to all Irish coasts later.
Gale Warning
South to southwest veering northwest in some Atlantic sea areas will reach gale force 8 or 9 later, on Irish coastal waters from Fair Head to Roches Point to Bloody Foreland and on the Irish Sea.
Atlantic Swell
Increasing on western and southwestern coasts at times overnight and during Saturday.
Meteorological Situation at 15:00 UTC
Ireland lies in a fresh to near gale and gusty westerly airflow within a broad and complex area of low pressure. Low pressure centres of 979hPa and 982hPa are located around 220 nautical miles west-southwest of Iceland and around 130 nautical miles northeast of the Faroe Islands respectively.
Gale Warning: In effect
Small Craft Warning: In effect
Heavy Swell (>4m) : yes
Forecast for Dungarvan to Mizen Head to Loop Head
Wind: West to northwest force 4 or 5 and gusty. Imminent decreasing westerly force 2 to 4. Soon backing southerly and increasing force 5 to 7 and gusty. Later increasing south to southwest force 6 to gale force 8 and gusty, veering southwest to west on Saturday afternoon and reaching force 7 to gale force 8 or strong gale force 9 at times.
Weather: Fair with isolated showers at first. Cloud spreading from the southwest tonight with rain and drizzle extending northwards overnight and Saturday morning with mist patches too. Rain, heavy at times, spreading from the west on Saturday afternoon.
Visibility: Reducing moderate or poor in precipitation and mist, otherwise good.
Forecast for Loop Head to Erris Head to Malin Head
Wind: West force 5 or 6, occasionally force 7 and gusty. Imminent decreasing force 4 or 5 occasionally force 6. Soon backing southwest to south force 3 or 4. Later backing southeast to east and then becoming cyclonic variable mainly force 6 to gale force 8 but reaching strong gale force 9 and gusty locally.
Weather: Fair with isolated showers at first. Cloud spreading from the southwest tonight with rain and drizzle extending northwards overnight and Saturday morning with mist patches too. Rain, heavy at times, spreading from the west on Saturday afternoon.
Visibility: Reducing moderate or poor in precipitation and mist, otherwise good.
Forecast for Malin Head to Carlingford Lough to Dungarvan and for the Irish Sea
Wind: West force 4 to 6, occasionally force 7 and gusty. Imminent decreasing force 3 to 5, occasionally force 6 north of Howth Head. Soon backing southerly force 2 to 4, occasionally force 5. Later increasing south to southwest force 6 to gale force 8 and gusty.
Weather: Fair with isolated showers at first. Cloud spreading from the southwest tonight with rain and drizzle extending northwards overnight and Saturday morning with mist patches too. Rain, heavy at times, spreading from the west on Saturday afternoon.
Visibility: Reducing moderate or poor in precipitation and mist, otherwise good.
Outlook for a further 24 hours until 18:00, Sunday 05 April 2026
Near gale to strong gale force southerly or cyclonic variable winds associated with Storm Dave will veer west to northwest Saturday evening and night, and will gradually ease from the west, with fresh to near gale force westerly winds for Sunday morning. Westerly winds will further moderate through Sunday afternoon, backing moderate to strong west to southwest by the end of the period. Weather: Outbreaks of rain, heavy at times, clearing eastwards Saturday night with scattered heavy showers following with a chance of thunderstorms and hail. Showers becoming more isolated later.
Forecast issued at: 18:00, Friday 03 April 2026
All times are local unless specified
