Kilkenny confirmed as a site for new Met Éireann weather radar

Kilkenny has been selected as one of the key locations for Met Éireann’s nationwide Weather Radar Expansion (WREN) Project, which will dramatically improve rainfall monitoring and short-term weather forecasting across the country.

Met Éireann is leading a strategic development plan to upgrade and expand the national weather radar network over the next five years.

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During this period, the number of weather radars will increase from two to seven to improve monitoring of rainfall in key areas across the country and forecasting accuracy at national and local level.

One new radar will (subject to planning) be installed at Brown Mountain near Reevanagh Woods, close to the Carlow border.

The elevated, greenfield site was chosen for its wide, unobstructed views of the sky and minimal interference from surrounding terrain. Only Mount Leinster and the Blackstairs Mountains are expected to cause minor beam blockage.

According to Met Éireann, the Kilkenny radar will play a crucial role in improving coverage across the South-East, including Kilkenny, Wexford, and Waterford, where rainfall detection has historically been limited by the range and sightlines of the existing Dublin and Shannon radars.

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The radar will be part of a seven-site national network, up from the current two radars, creating a much denser grid for real-time weather data collection.

Each radar operates automatically and continuously, feeding information to Met Éireann’s forecasting systems to support flood alerts, agricultural planning, aviation, and public safety.

Together with a complementary site planned for County Cork, the Kilkenny installation will ensure the south of Ireland benefits from more accurate and timely rainfall radar data, providing contingency and backup between the two southern stations.

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Met Éireann says updates on the Kilkenny radar’s construction and commissioning will be shared as the WREN Project progresses.

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