Investigating a Suspected meteotsunami along the Northwest Coast of Ireland in February 2022

Abstract On 21st February 2022 at 08:50 UTC, an unusual sea-level event was captured on video at Portsalon Golf Club, Lough Swilly, Co Donegal, Ireland. This phenomenon resembled that of a meteotsunami, an atmospherically driven sea-level anomaly. This study provides context surrounding the origin and classification of the event via the use of high-frequency tidal data, atmospheric pressure data, and wind speed records from nearby tidal and weather stations. A rapid shift in atmospheric pressure following Storm Franklin, and the occurrence of a high tide matched the timing of the event. However, neither the tidal nor the wind conditions were extreme at this time suggesting the event was not a strong astronomical tide or storm surge. The absence of seismic and volcanic activity inferred it was not a traditional tsunami. The aligned timing of the video, the sudden increase in atmospheric pressure rate, the movement of the jet stream over Ireland, and the sea-level anomalies point to a meteotsunami. Improvements in public awareness and monitoring are crucial to our understanding of these events, and to our ability to mitigate the risks associated, especially under our changing climate.