Weather warning as massive waves forecast
Met Éireann has issued a weather warning for the next two days, and has predicted that southerly winds will reach average speeds of between 45km/h and 65km/h with gusts up to 110km/h during Tuesday and Wednesday.
While big wave surfers will be watching the conditions closely, experienced wave rider Richie Fitzgerald, who runs Surfworld in Bundoran, Co Sligo, believes the wind direction this week will not be conducive to good surfing.
He said it was not unusual for surfers from around the world to come to Ireland to catch waves during the winter, with some travelling from South Africa, Hawaii and Australia.
Fitzgerald added, however, that some of the world’s best big wave surfers are Irish, as local surfers take advantage of the frequent big waves that crash the Irish coast throughout winter.
“They would hold home field advantage here and really stand out when abroad, they are world class. They are very, very good and well experienced with big waves. They hold their own,” he said.
The west/north-west winds forecast this week will make conditions difficult, he predicted.
“My gut says that the wind will be too strong and in the wrong direction, I could be wrong though,” he said.
Ireland’s largest wave was recorded off Kinsale, Co Cork, last February and measured 25m.
