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M2 wave buoy monthly means for 2020

Monthly means from the M2 wave buoy for 2020, 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

8,670 wave-buoy observations covered 363 of 366 days (99%). Typical wave height was 3.5 ft (10th–90th percentile 1.2–8.1 ft), while mean peak wave period was 5.6 seconds (10th–90th percentile 3.5–8.1 seconds). Typical wind was 16.2 mph (10th–90th percentile 6.2–27.5 mph) and mean water temperature was 11.7°C (10th–90th percentile 8.3–14.6°C). All 35,115 checked values passed quality control.

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

Typical Significant Wave Height

3.5ft
Mean: 4.1 ft
P10–P90: 1.2 — 8.1 ft
Recorded extremes

0.4 — 15.4 ft

Available for 3,038 of 8,670 hourly samples

Mean Observed Wave Period

5.6secs
P10–P90: 3.5 — 8.1secs
Recorded extremes

2.1 — 25secs

Available for 3,038 of 8,670 hourly samples

Typical Observed Wind

Variable, 16.2mph
Mean: 16.8 mph
P10–P90: 6.2 — 27.5 mph
Recorded extremes

0 — 46.5 mph

Circular concentration: 26%

Available for 8,667 of 8,670 hourly samples

Mean Water Temperature

11.7°C
P10–P90: 8.3 — 14.6°C
Recorded extremes

7.9 — 16.3°C

Available for 8,667 of 8,670 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 2020Last observation shown
Metric
Mean significant wave height (ft)5QC rejected4333333556
Mean maximum wave height (ft)7106434345778
Mean peak period (s)766555555666
Mean zero-crossing period (s)554444444455
Mean peak wave directionSSWconcentration 71%SSWconcentration 71%Variableconcentration 28%Econcentration 33%SEconcentration 31%Variableconcentration 10%SSWconcentration 40%Variableconcentration 20%Variableconcentration 22%Variableconcentration 15%SSWconcentration 46%Variableconcentration 26%
Mean wave directionSSWconcentration 77%SSWconcentration 76%Sconcentration 33%Econcentration 40%SEconcentration 36%Variableconcentration 14%SSWconcentration 42%Variableconcentration 23%Variableconcentration 26%Variableconcentration 20%SSWconcentration 55%Variableconcentration 28%
Mean directional spread (°)24.823.826.727.527.930.530.028.227.825.626.026.3
Mean wind directionSWconcentration 72%WSWconcentration 74%Variableconcentration 21%Variableconcentration 29%Variableconcentration 14%Variableconcentration 11%WSWconcentration 47%Variableconcentration 1%Variableconcentration 28%WSWconcentration 33%SWconcentration 50%WNWconcentration 35%
Mean wind speed (mph)202518121213131415201922
Mean water temperature(°C)10.08.88.28.610.511.913.614.714.714.213.211.6

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