Sea Area Forecast
Forecast valid from: 06:00, Thursday 22 October 2026 until 06:00, Friday 23 October 2026
Small Craft Warning
Easterly winds veering northwesterly will reach force 6 or higher at times this afternoon and tonight (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) on all Irish coasts.
Gale Warning
Northerly winds will reach gale force 8 or strong gale force 9 this evening (Thursday evening) and tomorrow Friday on Irish coasts from Strangford Lough to Roches Point to Loop Head, and on the Irish sea.
Meteorological Situation at 03:00 UTC
Ireland lies in a moderate to fresh westerly airflow. Storm Austen centred approximately 500 nautical miles southwest of Valentia will track south of Irelands coast later this evening with strong to strong gale force northerly or cyclonic variable winds. Embedded troughs within the flow will generate very heavy and persistent rainfall.
Gale Warning: In effect
Small Craft Warning: In effect
Heavy Swell (>4m) : No
Forecast for Strangford Lough to Carnsore Point to Valentia and for the Irish Sea
Wind: Westerly force 4 to 6. Easing west to southwest force 3 or 4 imminent. Soon backing south to southeast force 4 to 6. Veering northerly force 7 to gale force 8 between Mizen Head and Valentia. Later increasing north to northwest force 6 to gale force 8. Occasionally reaching strong gale force 9.
Weather: Fair to cloudy with rain soon. Turning very heavy and persistent at times.
Visibility: Reducing moderate or poor in precipitation.
Forecast for Valentia to Bloody Foreland to Strangford Lough
Wind: West to southwest force 3 or 4. Soon backing easterly force 4 to 6. Later veering north to northwest force 6 or 7 and occasionally gale force 8.
Weather: Cloudy with isolated showers. Rain soon, heavy and persistent at times. Showers developing later. slight chance of isolated thunderstorms.
Visibility: Reducing moderate or poor in precipitation.
Outlook for a further 24 hours until 06:00, Saturday 24 October 2026
Strong to gale force northerly winds associated with Storm Austen will gradually back west to southwest on Saturday morning and ease moderate to strong. Southwesterly winds will strengthen to gale force strength along west and southwest Atlantic coasts on Sunday morning. Weather: Cloudy to fair with rain clearing in the east, heavy at times. Scattered showers will spread from the west with occasional sunny spells. Rain will move in again from the west later Friday night into Sunday morning, heavy at times.
Forecast issued at: 06:00, Thursday 22 October 2026
All times are local unless specified
