The 30m structure will be built outside Carrigaline

15:46, 03 Jun 2026Updated 15:51, 03 Jun 2026

A sample rendering of a weather radar(Image: Met Éireann )

Cork County Council has approved the national forecaster’s plans to build a new weather radar outside Cork’s largest and fastest-growing town. The 30m-tall structure will be built in a forested area about a 10-minute drive from Carrigaline.

Once up and running, the new radar station will provide Met Éireann with valuable data that will allow meteorologists to increase the accuracy of weather forecasts at both the local and national levels.

Weather radars provide a near-real-time picture of precipitation locations and intensity across the country. A weather radar measures the location and intensity of precipitation within its coverage area, as well as different types of precipitation, such as rainfall, hail, and snow.

This will allow local authorities and other key stakeholders in Cork to organise more effective responses to severe and high-impact weather events.

When Met Éireann first launched its improvement plan, Ireland had only two weather radars at Dublin and Shannon. This plan will increase the nationwide total to seven, giving a far more accurate view of weather conditions across the country.

Permission has been granted for the steel structure, a technical equipment room and an array of 24 solar panels that will provide power to the radar. A section of forestry will be felled to accommodate the new build.

A new access road will be built to connect the radar station to the existing road network, and security measures will be put in place to protect the site and the equipment.

Permission was granted by Cork County Council, subject to nine conditions that cover local ecosystem protections, the disposal of waste and an agreement that the site be reinstated should the radar be decommissioned at a later date. No objections were lodged in respect of the proposal.

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