According to weather reports, the massive accumulation of foam came after a prolonged period of strong winds and rough seas.
These conditions intensified the movement of water, mixing it with organic matter, such as algae remains, which act as natural foaming agents, Meteoweb shows. Climate specialists confirm that such phenomena are part of natural processes, but the recent intensity has particularly surprised the locals, reports
Videos circulating on social media and picked up by international media show how the foam was blown by the wind, covering large stretches of shore, homes and cliffs.
Loughshinny, a modest fishing settlement on the north coast of County Dublin, witnessed an unforgettable spectacle in the last few hours: a white “storm” that enveloped the streets and harbor area.
Local reactions indicate a lack of precedent for such an event in over 50 years, sparking both fascination and unease in the community.
Experts explain that sea foam forms when ocean water is rich in dissolved organic matter (such as algae decomposition products). Under the action of waves and wind, this matter generates bubbles on the surface, which, in extreme weather conditions, can accumulate in considerable volumes.
Although the appearance can be impressive and even dramatic, specialists point out that this phenomenon does not necessarily indicate pollution, but is a natural manifestation, amplified by intense weather conditions.
Sea foam has caused similar problems in the past
Ireland has also been the “host” of such transformations. In 2021, the village of Bunmahon, also on the south coast (in County Waterford), was also “buried” under a thick layer of sea foam after several days of high winds.
At the time, a local resident told the press: “I’ve seen sea foam around the area before, but never in such quantities.” The phenomenon, captured in a video that went viral, was explained by experts through similar formation mechanisms.
In the context of the 2026 weather forecast for Europe, it is possible to see such phenomena more and more often.
