Met Éireann, the Irish National Meteorological Service, has announced that it is replacing the weather radar located at Shannon Airport to install a brand-new weather radar system with upgraded technology and capabilities.
The Shannon weather radar is part of the national weather radar network, which currently consists of two weather radars, one located at Shannon Airport and the other at Dublin Airport. This weather radar network provides a steady stream of information 24 hours a day, 365 days a year via the Met Éireann website and app and is used to provide information on the location and intensity of precipitation across Ireland. The new weather radar system in Shannon will provide enhanced precipitation measurement capabilities. This will result in benefits for Met Éireann forecasting services and for the rainfall radar maps offered to the public.
Replacement work is starting in May and is expected to be completed by autumn 2023. During this period there will be a modified radar service in the South and West of the country, with a temporary weather radar system operating from Co. Cork. Throughout the radar replacement, Met Éireann’s forecasting services will continue as normal.
Sarah Gallagher, Head of the Observations Division in Met Éireann, said: “As part of our continual improvement, Met Éireann looks forward to delivering this state-of-the-art weather radar that will serve the South-West and national public for many years to come with high quality precipitation observations. Ireland’s weather radar data is fundamental to the provision of accurate forecasts and weather warnings, supporting emergency management and the protection of life and property.”
Further updates will be available as the project progress via the Met Éireann website www.met.ie
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Notes to Editor
For more information on the above contact media@met.ie
About Met Éireann
Met Éireann, the National Meteorological Service, monitors, analyses and predicts Ireland's weather and climate, supporting Irish society and decision-makers with world-class weather, climate and flood services. Met Éireann does this to protect life and property, and to promote wider societal and economic wellbeing
Met Éireann’s overarching vision is as follows: ‘Making Ireland weather and climate prepared - helping Irish society to be ready for and responsive to weather and climate challenges’.
Met Éireann is Ireland’s National Meteorological service as maintained by the State under the UN Convention of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
About Met Éireann Radar Service
Met Éireann operates and maintains the national weather radar network, which is currently comprised of two weather radars, one located at Shannon Airport, and one located at Dublin Airport. This weather radar network is the State’s primary observational tool for rainfall over wide geographical areas of Ireland.
Weather radars provide a steady stream of near real-time information 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They are used to provide information on the location of precipitation and to provide data on precipitation amounts and intensities.
Met Éireann makes its radar imagery freely accessible to the public through its website (www.met.ie) and app. Data from the weather radar network is integral to the provision of services like weather forecasting, weather warnings, severe weather, alerts aviation forecasting, flood alerts and nowcasting (very short-range weather forecasts). Weather radar services are critical to the protection of life and property, particularly during extreme weather events, and they support societal and economic wellbeing. In compliance with Met Éireann’s Open Data policy, weather radar data format is available free of charge via the Irish Government open data portal https://data.gov.ie/dataset/rainfall-radar.