Oceanographer Suggests Cause for Strange Tides in West Cork That Baffled Experts

21st June 2022

MacDara Conroy

File image of the Old Pier at Keelbeg in Union Hall, West Cork, which experienced a bizarre tide at the weekend

Experts have been puzzled by reports of strange tidal activity on the South Coast at the weekend, as TheJournal.ie reports.

On Saturday afternoon (18 June), Union Hall in West Cork saw levels in its harbours drop by as much as 70cm in a mere five minutes, before the waters flooded back — and similar incidents were reported in Wexford and across the Irish Sea in Pembrokeshire.

The bizarre situation has baffled experts, with some suggesting it could be linked to earthquakes off the Azores.

But one oceanographer believes it could be the result of an extremely rare conflation of separate atmospheric events.

Gerard McCarthy told CorkBeo that the surprise tidal moves may be the effect of a meteotsunami — a large wave caused by stormy conditions at sea — combined with the natural sloshing action, or seiching, of the waters at Union Hall.

CorkBeo has more on the story HERE.

Published in Weather, West Cork

Published in Weather

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MacDara Conroy

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MacDara Conroy is a contributor covering all things on the water, from boating and wildlife to science and business

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