I had not realised that the times of the Met Éireann inland lakes weather forecasts, broadcast by the Coast Guard on VHF, had been changed. The times are now
06:15
10:15 repetition
13:15
16:15 repetition
MRCC Dublin, to whom I am grateful for confirming the new times, says
Standby on VHF Channel 16 for your local working channel.
In bygone days the Lough Derg and Lough Ree forecasts were five minutes apart, but now the initial call on Channel 16 is at the same time everywhere.
I found the new 10:15 broadcast to be particularly convenient.
Forecast format
However, one aspect in which I thought the Met Éireann forecasts (also available here) less useful than those from other sources (eg Windguru) is the absence of a forecast for wind gusts. On several occasions this year, the gusts were (a) almost continuous and (b) much stronger than the forecast wind speed. They thus had more influence on our trip planning than did the base wind speed. It would be nice if Met Éireann, and thus the Coast Guard, could include a forecast for gusts.
Hire boats
The hirers’ training materials I mentioned here give good advice about rough weather on lakes but, after seeing several hire boats cross Lough Ree in weather that kept us in harbour, I wondered whether the lakes forecasts are readily available to hirers. If they’re not, perhaps they could be transmitted daily by text message?
I should stress that I did not hear of any accidents caused by stress of weather, but some folk may have had uncomfortable trips.
Irish waterways history 