Irish Marine Data Buoy Observation Network

The Marine Institute celebrates World Meteorological Day with a milestone, marking 25 years of the Irish Marine Data Buoy Observation Network (IMDBON) and the crucial role it plays in providing essential meteorological information from across Ireland’s marine area.

The IMDBON, which is managed by the Marine Institute in collaboration with Met Éireann, is a network of five buoys around Ireland. They contribute real-time ocean and weather data to Met Éireann’s forecasting systems which is also shared globally with other meteorological agencies, as well as providing data for purposes outside of weather forecasting, like shipping bulletins.  

In recent years, the data delivered by the buoys, such as wave weights, air pressures, wind speed and sea surface temperatures, has had an increasingly vital role to play. This is particularly relevant when it comes to storms arriving into Irish waters and making their way inland, affecting people’s safety and daily lives, as well as property and the country’s economic activity.

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