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M2 wave buoy monthly means for 2016

Monthly means from the M2 wave buoy for 2016, including available wave height, period, direction, wind and sea temperature data.

Last observation shown

Data available:  to 

Latest

Period Summary

Programmatically generated summary. Hog Says

8,128 wave-buoy observations covered 344 of 366 days (94%). Typical wave height was 3.1 ft (10th–90th percentile 1–6.7 ft), while mean peak wave period was 5.5 seconds (10th–90th percentile 3.5–8 seconds). Typical wind was 14.9 mph (10th–90th percentile 5.9–25.2 mph) and mean water temperature was 9.5°C (10th–90th percentile 8.5–11°C). 27 of 42,373 checked values (0.1%) were excluded by quality control.

Generated only from the observations and comparisons shown on this page.

Typical Significant Wave Height

3.1ft
Mean: 3.5 ft
P10–P90: 1 — 6.7 ft
Recorded extremes

0.5 — 16.4 ft

Available for 7,475 of 8,128 hourly samples

Mean Observed Wave Period

5.5secs
P10–P90: 3.5 — 8secs
Recorded extremes

2 — 25secs

Available for 7,453 of 8,128 hourly samples

Typical Observed Wind

Variable, 14.9mph
Mean: 15.4 mph
P10–P90: 5.9 — 25.2 mph
Recorded extremes

0.2 — 44.5 mph

Circular concentration: 24%

Available for 8,117 of 8,128 hourly samples

Mean Water Temperature

9.5°C
P10–P90: 8.5 — 11°C
Recorded extremes

8.1 — 11.6°C

Available for 3,694 of 8,128 hourly samples

Chart showing grouped wave observations for M2. Use the table on this page for a text version of the same measurements. To open daily observations, use a linked month name in the table.

About M2 wave buoy

M2 (WMO 62091) is part of the Irish Marine Data Buoy Observation Network, managed by the Marine Institute in collaboration with Met Éireann. Moored in the Irish Sea east of Ireland, it provides open-water context for the busy, relatively enclosed waters between the Irish and British coasts.

Its current data source reports wave height, wave period, wave direction, directional spread, wind conditions and sea temperature.

Metrics are rows; months run left to right.
M2 wave buoy monthly means 2016Last observation shown
Metric
Mean significant wave height (ft)6544322343-5
Mean maximum wave height (ft)8755433355-7
Mean peak period (s)7656555565-5
Mean zero-crossing period (s)5544444444-4
Mean peak wave directionSconcentration 53%SSWconcentration 31%Variableconcentration 9%Variableconcentration 3%Variableconcentration 22%Sconcentration 34%SSWconcentration 49%Sconcentration 49%Sconcentration 62%ESEconcentration 45%-SSWconcentration 87%
Mean wave directionSconcentration 57%SSWconcentration 37%Variableconcentration 13%Variableconcentration 6%Variableconcentration 27%Sconcentration 35%SSWconcentration 60%Sconcentration 56%Sconcentration 67%ESEconcentration 53%-SSWconcentration 92%
Mean directional spread (°)24.826.627.127.327.629.030.330.326.328.5-23.5
Mean wind directionSWconcentration 50%WSWconcentration 36%Variableconcentration 23%Variableconcentration 20%Variableconcentration 19%Variableconcentration 11%SWconcentration 60%SWconcentration 40%SSWconcentration 61%ESEconcentration 41%NWconcentration 32%SWconcentration 88%
Mean wind speed (mph)211916151210121216151921
Mean water temperature(°C)10.79.48.68.79.6------11.0

Swipe sideways to see more months.

Wave metric colour key

Colours move through the scale as each number increases. They do not by themselves mean that conditions are good, safe or suitable for you.

Wave & swell height0–40+ ft
Wave & swell period0–22+ s
Wind speed0–75 mph

The displayed numbers remain the source of truth; colour is an additional visual cue.

What does buoy wave power mean?

kW/m means kilowatts of wave power per metre of wave crest. It describes the rate at which the observed sea state carries energy past the buoy.

Unlike the shore-directed forecast value, buoy wave power is the total power at the observation point. It is not projected towards a particular beach and does not predict breaking wave height.

In deep water, wave power can be calculated with:

P is approximately 0.49 times significant wave height squared times wave energy period.

P is power in kW/m, Hs is significant wave height in metres, and Te is wave energy period in seconds.

  • Provider-reported power is used when available.
  • Otherwise, a value is calculated only when both significant height and a genuine energy period are available. The ≈ symbol marks calculated values.
  • A dash is shown instead of substituting peak, Tm02, zero-crossing or other period measurements.
  • Daily and monthly figures use the mean of hourly-normalized observation power values; they are not calculated from mean height and period.

Wave direction, spectrum, water depth and local bathymetry still matter. Wave power is best read alongside height, period and direction rather than as a standalone surf-quality score.

The observation data displayed on this page is from the Met Éireann Irish Marine Data Buoy Observation Network.

Learn how SurfHog combines, checks and summarizes observations in the data and methodology notes.

› Wave Buoy List