New Home for M4 Weather Buoy
The M4 Weather Buoy was moved from its position in Donegal Bay, 54 40N 09 04W, 44 nautical miles offshore to 55N 10W by the RV Celtic Voyager on the 3rd of May 2007. The buoy was moved to allow for a more representative picture of the wave climate in the North West.
The buoy was originally moored in Donegal Bay and was experiencing a wave climate related to its position rather than the offshore conditions.
The decision by the Marine Institute and Met Eireann to move the buoy further offshore was welcomed by weather forecasters. According to Gerald Fleming, Met Eireann, “This looks a much better location from a forecasting viewpoint - a better representation of open-sea conditions”.
The Weather Buoy project is a collaborative project between the Department of Transport, Marine Institute, Met Eireann and the UK Met Office.