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M2 wave buoy monthly means for 2023

Monthly means from the M2 wave buoy for 2023, 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

8,560 wave-buoy observations covered 364 of 365 days (100%). Typical wave height was 3.5 ft (10th–90th percentile 1.5–6.9 ft), while mean peak wave period was 5.6 seconds (10th–90th percentile 3.3–8.3 seconds). Typical wind was 16.9 mph (10th–90th percentile 7.2–26.9 mph) and mean water temperature was 12.6°C (10th–90th percentile 9.1–15.6°C). 63 of 51,360 checked values (0.1%) were excluded by quality control.

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

Typical Significant Wave Height

3.5ft
Mean: 3.9 ft
P10–P90: 1.5 — 6.9 ft
Recorded extremes

0.4 — 16.5 ft

Mean Observed Wave Period

5.6secs
P10–P90: 3.3 — 8.3secs
Recorded extremes

2.3 — 20secs

Available for 8,497 of 8,560 hourly samples

Typical Observed Wind

Variable, 16.9mph
Mean: 17.1 mph
P10–P90: 7.2 — 26.9 mph
Recorded extremes

0.7 — 45.7 mph

Circular concentration: 23%

Mean Water Temperature

12.6°C
P10–P90: 9.1 — 15.6°C
Recorded extremes

8.5 — 18°C

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 2023Last observation shown
Metric
Mean significant wave height (ft)545322334456
Mean maximum wave height (ft)9685445567810
Mean peak period (s)657655556666
Mean zero-crossing period (s)545444444445
Mean peak wave directionSWconcentration 44%Sconcentration 44%SSEconcentration 45%SSEconcentration 43%Variableconcentration 16%SEconcentration 45%SSWconcentration 61%Variableconcentration 24%SSEconcentration 44%SSEconcentration 44%Variableconcentration 21%SSWconcentration 44%
Mean wave directionSWconcentration 51%Sconcentration 47%SSEconcentration 42%SSEconcentration 52%Variableconcentration 22%SEconcentration 54%Sconcentration 66%Sconcentration 31%SSEconcentration 51%SSEconcentration 49%Variableconcentration 24%SSWconcentration 48%
Mean directional spread (°)147.7167.3137.2158.1169.0168.6155.8169.1144.4156.4165.4146.9
Mean wind directionWSWconcentration 61%SWconcentration 41%Variableconcentration 17%Variableconcentration 24%Variableconcentration 21%ESEconcentration 31%SWconcentration 57%SWconcentration 32%Variableconcentration 22%Sconcentration 35%Wconcentration 43%WSWconcentration 48%
Mean wind speed (mph)231819151212151515172023
Mean water temperature(°C)10.69.38.99.411.713.914.315.215.815.213.912.2

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