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Coastal Flood Risk Awareness for Ireland

FloodWatch highlights short, explainable periods when coastal flooding risk may be elevated,based on tide timing, tide height, wind direction and official Met Éireann weather warnings.

What FloodWatch Does

FloodWatch combines data from four conditions to raise awareness

FloodWatch does not attempt to predict flooding. Instead, it highlights when conditions may align to increase coastal flood risk, helping communities understand timing and context.

Tide Timing

FloodWatch monitors high tide windows when coastal flooding risk may increase.

Tide Height

Tide levels are compared with local overtopping thresholds.

Wind Direction

Strong onshore winds can push waves and water toward the coast.

Weather Warnings

Official Met Éireann wind and rain warnings are included.

A simple, transparent approach

  • 1

    Tides — high tides are analysed to identify unusually high water levels

  • 2

    Timing — risk is assessed only during short windows around high tide

  • 3

    Wind Direction  — onshore wind can raise the threat of flooding

  • 4

    Weather context — official wind and rain warnings highlight additional stress factors

Example Data

Location : Blackrock, Co. Louth, IRL

Next High Tide : Sun 12 Apr 2026, 07:59

Tide Height : 4.07m

Wind Direction : 32 km/h • Gusts 54 km/h • Dir SW (232°)

Alerts : No active Met Éireann warnings

Example Status

Each status is accompanied by a short explanation of why it is being shown.

  • Normal – No elevated coastal flood risk

  • Heads-up – Conditions worth monitoring

  • Overtopping Possible – Waves may overtop sea defences

  • Flooding Possible – Flooding may occur near high tide

Who FloodWatch Is For

Hyper Local Information For

  • Local authorities
  • Coastal towns and villages
  • Community and voluntary groups
  • Tourism and visitor information websites

FloodWatch is useful where flooding occurs intermittently and public confusion is common,and where clear, calm communication is needed during high tides or storms.

To make decisions about :-

– Public Alerts

– Parking Restrictions

– Road Closures

– Flooding Barriers

FloodWatch is an early-stage pilot and is not an emergency warning system.

Always follow advice from Met Éireann and emergency services.

Designed For Real World Use

Blackrook Floods

Live Example

Blackrock, Co. Louth

View the live FloodWatch location page showing the current status, tide window timing,
a short-term outlook, and a clear explanation of what the status means.

Blackrock Floodwatch
Blackrock

Pilot Programme

Pilot programme for communities and local authorities

FloodWatch is currently available as part of a limited pilot programme. Pilot participants receive a dedicated FloodWatch location page, embeddable widgets for their websites, and the opportunity to shape future features.

FloodWatch is an early-stage pilot. It is not an emergency warning service. Always follow advice from Met Éireann and local authorities.