Buncrana tides today
- Tide now 12.9 ft ↓ falling · low 1:24 am (2.1 ft)
- Best time tomorrow 6:50–8:20 am good day · 7/10
- Beach day Not today Not a beach day · 0/10
- Waves · water 2.4 ft · 54 °F slight · 10.3 s from the northwest
- Wind · air 5 mph · 53 °F from the S, gusts 10 · overcast
- Sun 7:26 am–5:01 pm 9 h 35 min of daylight
- Moon 92% · 5:28 pm waning gibbous · rises at 5:28 pm
- Diving tomorrow 1:00–2:40 pm good day · 7/10
Today in Buncrana there are high tides at 6:56 am (14.6 ft) and 7:21 pm (14.7 ft) and low tides at 12:42 am and 1:05 pm. Tide coefficient 101. Right now the tide is falling toward the low tide at 1:24 am. The sun rises at 7:26 am and sets at 5:01 pm: 9 h 35 min of daylight. The moon is 92% illuminated (waning gibbous) and rises at 5:28 pm. Major solunar periods run from 12:53 am to 2:53 am and from 1:24 pm to 3:24 pm. The next spring tides arrive from October 26 to 28. The sea is slight, with 2.4 ft waves. There's a light breeze from the south (5 mph). Overcast, 53 °F.
Fishing in Buncrana today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: high- Low tide at 1:05 pm
- Major period 1:24–3:24 pm
- Rising pressure (+0.49 inHg in 24 h), light onshore wind (12 mph) and some swell (3.0 ft waves) to stir the water
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
- Highest tide coefficient today: 101 (big spring tides)
- A minor period lines up with sunset
Your day at a glance
The best window, 1:20 pm to 2:10 pm, combines the 1:05 pm low tide, a major period, a light onshore breeze and some swell, though with rising pressure. Also worth a try from 6:50 am to 8:00 am, with the 6:56 am high tide, sunrise, a light onshore breeze and some swell, though with rising pressure. Also worth a try from 12:50 am to 1:40 am, with the 12:42 am low tide, a major period and some swell, though with rising pressure and moderate wind.
Species with the most records nearby: European flounder, European plaice, small-spotted catshark and thornback ray. October is one of the months when these are seen most: thornback ray. What you can catch
Beach day in Buncrana
Is it a beach day?
- Low tide at 1:05 pm: more sand
- Cloudy (91% cloud cover)
- Feels like 52 °F: chilly for the beach
- 69% chance of rain
- Moderate onshore wind (13 mph): choppy water
- Swim with care: 3.3 ft waves every 11 s; moderate rip current risk
Today, hour by hour
- Swimming Use care · 3.3 ft
3.3 ft waves every 11 s: swim with care and stay where you can stand. Moderate rip current risk. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 54 °F
Very cold: ease in and keep swims short.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 1 · SPF 15
Max UV 1 (low): SPF 15 sunscreen.
- Wind 13 mph
Moderate onshore wind (13 mph).
- Tide & sand 12:42 am
Low tide at 12:42 am and 1:05 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 6:56 am and 7:21 pm. Coefficient 101 (spring tides): little sand left at high tide.
The EPA Ireland (beaches.ie) issues its bathing notices in season, from 1 June to 15 September; none are in force now. We don't have data on jellyfish or sargassum: ask the lifeguard or check the flags. How it works · The next 7 days
Beaches near Buncrana
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Buncrana Beach 1.3 mi · SW
- Parking
Sufficient water quality 2025 season, EEA
- Porthaw Beach 1.3 mi · NW
- Parking
- Stragill Beach 2.2 mi · NW
- Lisfannon Beach 2.9 mi · SW
- Restrooms
Good water quality 2025 season, EEA
- Brown Shore 3.9 mi · S
- Carricknaha 4.0 mi · SW
- Back Bay 4.4 mi · SW
- Mullanadee Shore 5.6 mi · SW
Named beaches within 6.2 mi, nearest first. Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. View on OpenStreetMap · Add or fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Bathing water quality: European Environment Agency (EEA), with data from the authorities of Ireland.
Webcams near Buncrana
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Tides in Buncrana
Today's high and low tides
- ▼ Low tide 12:42 am 1.8 ft
- ▲ High tide 6:56 am 14.6 ft · coef. 101
- ▼ Low tide 1:05 pm 1.9 ft
- ▲ High tide 7:21 pm 14.7 ft · coef. 99
↓ Falling The tide is falling. 4 h 31 min to low tide at 1:24 am.
Tide coefficient 101 for the 6:56 am high tide and 99 for the 7:21 pm high tide. Big spring tides. The water rises and falls 12.9 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: a large range for this place. 70 is an average tide here; 90 and above means spring tides; below 45, neap tides. What is the tide coefficient?
2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on March 20 (15.3 ft) and the lowest, on April 18 (0.9 ft).
Semidiurnal: two high and two low tides a day, of similar height.
Heights above chart datum: the lowest astronomical tide (LAT), the zero of nautical charts in Europe. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. chart datum (LAT)
Tide coefficient and range in October
The biggest tides of the month came from October 26 to 28 (coefficient 102, 13.3 ft range). The smallest, on October 19 (coefficient 28, 4.1 ft).
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Coef. | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Wed 28 | 7:26 am · 5:01 pm | Low tide 12:42 am · 1.8 ft | High tide 6:56 am · 14.6 ft | Low tide 1:05 pm · 1.9 ft | High tide 7:21 pm · 14.7 ft | Coef. 101 | 92% | Major periods 12:53 am · 1:24 pm | High |
| Thu 29 | 7:28 am · 4:58 pm | Low tide 1:24 am · 2.1 ft | High tide 7:39 am · 14.3 ft | Low tide 1:52 pm · 2.3 ft | High tide 8:07 pm · 13.8 ft | Coef. 95 | 85% | Major periods 1:56 am · 2:29 pm | High |
| Fri 30 | 7:30 am · 4:56 pm | Low tide 2:09 am · 2.7 ft | High tide 8:26 am · 13.8 ft | Low tide 2:44 pm · 3.1 ft | High tide 8:59 pm · 12.7 ft | Coef. 84 | 76% | Major periods 3:01 am · 3:33 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 7:32 am · 4:54 pm | Low tide 2:58 am · 3.5 ft | High tide 9:23 am · 13.0 ft | Low tide 3:47 pm · 4.0 ft | High tide 10:05 pm · 11.4 ft | Coef. 69 | 65% | Major periods 4:04 am · 4:34 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 7:34 am · 4:52 pm | Low tide 3:55 am · 4.4 ft | High tide 10:41 am · 12.2 ft | Low tide 5:13 pm · 4.7 ft | High tide 11:38 pm · 10.6 ft | Coef. 56 | Last quarter | Major periods 5:03 am · 5:30 pm | Low |
| Mon 2 | 7:36 am · 4:50 pm | Low tide 5:10 am · 5.1 ft | High tide 12:21 pm · 11.9 ft | Low tide 6:55 pm · 4.9 ft | — | Coef. 48 | 43% | Major periods 5:56 am · 6:22 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 7:38 am · 4:48 pm | High tide 1:08 am · 10.4 ft | Low tide 6:46 am · 5.2 ft | High tide 1:42 pm · 12.1 ft | Low tide 8:14 pm · 4.5 ft | Coef. 50 | 32% | Major periods 6:46 am · 7:09 pm | Medium |
▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above chart datum (LAT). Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.
Where this tide comes from
Tides from the Buncrana station (Marine Institute), 0.7 mi from Buncrana. Times and heights are its predictions.
Station data attribution: Marine Institute, Ireland: tide prediction for Buncrana, https://erddap.marine.ie/erddap/tabledap/imiTidePrediction.html. Licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Modified: harmonic constants fitted by TidePlanet from the hourly prediction of 2026.
The sea at Buncrana
Sea stateSea state: slight
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common1.2 ft
- Significant2.4 ft
- Highest expectedHighest4.8 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 4.8 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 4.8 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
Cross-shore wind. The coast faces west and the wind blows along the shore: drift and current run parallel to the beach.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves ease over the next few days. The biggest waves arrive on Wednesday 28: 3.7 ft with a period of 10 s, from the northwest (slight).
Water temperature
Water temperature →Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water is steady these days, with no sudden changes.
Water about normal for late October.
Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses
Water temperature →Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 8:53 pm (local time).
Diving in Buncrana today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: poor- Slack water around low tide (1:05 pm): little current from 12:50 pm to 1:20 pm
- 3.0 ft swell at 9 s from the northwest: some surge on the bottom
- Moderate onshore wind (12 mph)
- 0.2 mph current toward the east-northeast, weak (model)
- Sun high: more light underwater
- Slack water today: low tide 12:42 am (12:27–1:00 am), high tide 6:56 am (6:40–7:20 am), low tide 1:05 pm (12:50–1:20 pm) and high tide 7:21 pm (7:00–7:40 pm)
- Likely visibility: poor. Swell (up to 3.5 ft at 10 s) and rain (0.30 in) over the last few days have stirred up the water. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 53.8 °F: a 7 mm semi-dry suit, with hood, gloves and booties.
- Snorkeling: doable, with some waves or wind.
- Night dive: dark from 5:39 pm. Waning gibbous (92%), rising at 5:28 pm: a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 12:40 pm to 2:00 pm, combines slack water at low tide, weak current and the sun high, though with some swell and moderate wind. Also worth a look from 6:50 am to 8:20 am, with slack water at high tide, light wind and weak current, though with some swell.
Slack water comes from the tide: in inlets, channels and between islands the water can keep running for an hour or two after. Ask the local dive shop.
Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.
Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Florence 1.7 mi
- HMS Saldanha 6.6 mi
- Wreck 8.2 mi
- Wreck 9.5 mi
- Wreck 10 mi
- Professional Diving Academy 8.5 mi
Within 12 mi. Some may be missing or closed; marine reserves usually need a permit. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Wreck and reef positions are approximate and not for navigation; a wreck’s depth runs from the top of the hull to the seabed.
Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Wrecks: EMODnet Human Activities (AND-International), from UK Hydrographic Office data, CC BY 4.0. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weather in Buncrana
Now in Buncrana
- Low / high
- 49 / 56 °F
- Rain
- 0.09 in · 100%
- Clouds
- 96%
- Humidity
- 90%
- Dew pointDew point
- 50 °F
- Visibility
- 13 mi
- UV indexUV
- 0 · low
- Air qualityAir
- Fair · 25
- Saharan dust
- No
- Pollen
- None
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady · now Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Steady now (+0.01 inHg in 3 hours). Over the next 48 hours: +0.14 inHg. Steady pressure: anglers expect normal activity. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.
Today, hour by hourHour by hour
Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.
| Time | 12:00 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Light rain | Light showers | Light rain | Partly cloudy | Overcast | Overcast | Overcast | Overcast |
| Temperature | 49° | 53° | 52° | 53° | 56° | 56° | 54° | 53° |
| Wind (mph) | 15 SSW | 13 WSW | 9 WSW | 10 WSW | 12 WSW | 11 SW | 6 SSW | 5 S |
| Gusts | 27 | 26 | 17 | 19 | 23 | 21 | 12 | 10 |
| Waves | 3.7 ft | 3.6 ft | 3.4 ft | 3.2 ft | 3.1 ft | 3.0 ft | 2.7 ft | 2.4 ft |
| Rain | 0.01 in | 0.01 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in |
- 9:00 pm 53° 5 S 2.4 ft
- 12:00 am 53° 7 S 2.3 ft
- 3:00 am 52° 8 S 2.1 ft
- 6:00 am 51° 7 SSE 2.0 ft
- 9:00 am 52° 10 SSE 1.8 ft
- 12:00 pm 55° 13 S 1.6 ft
- 3:00 pm 55° 14 S 1.6 ft
- 6:00 pm 54° 13 SSE 1.5 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave | High tides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 28 | 49 / 56 °F | 15 mph SW | 3.7 ft | 6:56 am · 7:21 pm | |
| Thu 29 | 51 / 56 °F | 15 mph SSE | 2.3 ft | 7:39 am · 8:07 pm | |
| Fri 30 | 52 / 57 °F | 16 mph SSE | 1.6 ft | 8:26 am · 8:59 pm | |
| Sat 31 | 48 / 55 °F | 5 mph NNW | 1.6 ft | 9:23 am · 10:05 pm | |
| Sun 1 | 45 / 51 °F | 8 mph NNE | 1.5 ft | 10:41 am · 11:38 pm | |
| Mon 2 | 42 / 54 °F | 6 mph ESE | 1.3 ft | 12:21 pm | |
| Tue 3 | 38 / 50 °F | 8 mph SSE | 0.7 ft | 1:08 am · 1:42 pm | |
| Wed 4 | 44 / 51 °F | 6 mph SE | 1.0 ft | 2:17 am · 2:45 pm | |
| Thu 5 | 44 / 53 °F | 10 mph SE | 1.0 ft | 3:13 am · 3:37 pm | |
| Fri 6 | 44 / 52 °F | 13 mph SE | 1.0 ft | 3:59 am · 4:21 pm | |
| Sat 7 | 41 / 50 °F | 9 mph SE | — | 4:39 am · 4:59 pm | |
| Sun 8 | 34 / 47 °F | 8 mph SE | — | 5:15 am · 5:32 pm | |
| Mon 9 | 45 / 53 °F | 9 mph ESE | — | 5:49 am · 6:03 pm | |
| Tue 10 | 51 / 55 °F | 10 mph E | — | 6:22 am · 6:33 pm |
- Thu 29 Overcast 51° / 56° 2.3 ft
- Fri 30 Light rain 52° / 57° 1.6 ft
- Sat 31 Light rain 48° / 55° 1.6 ft
- Sun 1 Overcast 45° / 51° 1.5 ft
- Mon 2 Fog 42° / 54° 1.3 ft
- Tue 3 Overcast 38° / 50° 0.7 ft
- Wed 4 Overcast 44° / 51° 1.0 ft
Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore. High tides: our own tide calculation.
- Normal Today, warmer than normal for late October (+2.6 °F; normal high: 53 °F). Climate by month →
Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 8:53 pm (local time).
The sun in Buncrana
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 6:05 am
- Full dark 6:21 pm
- Civil dawn 6:48 am
- Civil dusk 5:39 pm
- Solar noon 12:14 pm (22° high)
- Daylight 9 h 35 min (−4 min)
- Evening golden hour 4:07 pm
- Full dark 6:21 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,359,355 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in Buncrana
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,451 mi away and looks 32′ 47″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: high- 12:53–2:53 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 1:24–3:24 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 10:45–11:45 am Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 4:58–5:58 pm Minor · moonrise · medium activity
According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.
Upcoming moon phases
2026 moon calendar →- Last quarter Sun, Nov 1 · 8:29 pmNov 1 in 4 days
- New moon Mon, Nov 9 · 7:03 amNov 9 in 12 days
- First quarter Tue, Nov 17 · 11:48 amNov 17 in 20 days
- Full moon Tue, Nov 24 · 2:54 pmNov 24 in 27 days
Perigee on October 28, 226,426 mi away, coinciding with the spring tides from October 26 to 28: they will be stronger than usual.
Where to fish in Buncrana
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Boat ramp 0.7 mi
- Boat ramp 1.1 mi
- Portsalon 8.4 mi
- Georges Fishing Tackle 8.4 mi
- Sea Fishing Donegal 8.4 mi
- Electric Point 4.2 mi
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Water depth
Gentle slopeThe bottom slopes gently: 16 ft deep 0.35 mi from shore and 33 ft at 0.8 mi.
From the shoreline (0.5 mi from Buncrana) out to sea, heading west.
How far from shore
- 16 ft deep0.35 mi
- 33 ft deep0.8 mi
- 66 ft deepnot within 2.2 mi
- 164 ft deepnot within 2.2 mi
For fishing, swimming and diving
- Shore fishing. Shallow, gradual bottom (16 ft at 0.35 mi): cast far from the beach and fish the high tide, when there is more water close in.
- Swimming. A very gentle way in with plenty of shallow water, good for kids. At low tide the water can be far out.
- Diving. Shallow near shore: you only reach 33 ft at 0.8 mi. For dives deeper than 33 ft, go by boat.
Inside bays, estuaries and harbors the bottom changes a lot from spot to spot (channels and shoals): use this only as a rough guide. There is land ahead (an island, a headland or the far shore) 2.2 mi out. Where the bottom comes up to the surface there are shoals, rocks or an islet next to the profile.
Source: EMODnet Bathymetry DTM 2024 (CC BY 4.0), cells of about 380 ft; depth at the lowest astronomical tide. For reference only: not for navigation or anchoring.
Nearest lighthouse
Buncrana Lighthouse 0.7 mi southwest
- Light
- Light, on and off for equal times, every 4 s; white or red depending on where you see it from · Iso WR 4s
- Range
- 13 nautical miles (15 mi)
- Light height
- 36 ft above sea level
- Tower height
- 20 ft
Other lighthouses nearby: Dunree Head lighthouse (6.1 mi northwest).
Light details: NGA List of Lights (USA); the rest from Wikidata. For reference only: not for navigation. Wikidata · Sources and licenses
Tides near BuncranaTides nearby
- Fahan3.2 mi
- Rathmullan4.5 mi
- Kerrykeel8.5 mi
- Muff8.6 mi
- Culmore9.3 mi
- Clonmany9.3 mi
- Newtown Cunningham9.8 mi
- Quigley’s Point10 mi
- Millford10 mi
- Ramelton10 mi
Buncrana at a glance
- Town or city of about 6,785 people. Coordinates: 55.133° N, 7.450° W.
- The nearest tide station, Buncrana, is 0.7 mi to the southwest.
- Its coast faces west.
- Beaches and harbors nearby: Lisfannon Beach (2.9 mi).
Questions about BuncranaQuestions
What time is high tide today in Buncrana?
Today in Buncrana there are high tides at 6:56 am (14.6 ft) and 7:21 pm (14.7 ft) and low tides at 12:42 am and 1:05 pm. Tide coefficient 101.
What time is sunset today in Buncrana?
At 5:01 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 5:39 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in Buncrana?
At 7:28 am. First light comes at 6:07 am.
What phase is the moon today?
Waning gibbous, 92% illuminated. New moon on Mon, Nov 9 · 7:03 am.
When are the next spring tides?
From October 26 to 28, together with the lunar perigee: they will be stronger than usual.
What are today's solunar periods?
Major 12:53–2:53 am, Minor 10:45–11:45 am, Major 1:24–3:24 pm, Minor 4:58–5:58 pm. Today's activity is high.
What's the weather like today in Buncrana?
Light showers, from 49 °F to 56 °F, with a light breeze from the south (5 mph) and a 100% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in Buncrana?
Slight (Douglas 3): 2.4 ft waves with a period of 10.3 s from the northwest. The water is 54.1 °F.
When is the best time to visit Buncrana?
The best time to visit Buncrana is from June to August: highs of 60 °F to 63 °F, about 15 rainy days a month and 5 hours of sunshine a day.
Can I use this data for navigation?
No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.
Where this data comes from
Tide: Buncrana prediction point of the Marine Institute (Ireland), licensed CC BY 4.0; constants fitted by TidePlanet from a year of its predictions. Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).