A new weather station began operations at Castle Espie in County Down at the end of summer 2025. The Met Office installed the equipment after conducting tests. The site sits on the shores of Strangford Lough, outside Comber, and is managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.

The station supplies live temperature and rainfall measurements to the Met Office data network. It features a tipping rain gauge that records rainfall hourly and drains automatically. Previously, staff manually emptied a rain gauge at the location.

Donald Ferguson of the Met Office stated the station supports three key roles. It provides starting data for forecasts using global observations, satellite feeds and radar. Computer models process this information to generate predictions. It also tracks climate changes.

Paul Stewart of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust noted the data aids wildlife welfare and bird migration monitoring. Castle Espie hosts annual bird migration events. Wetlands rank among Earth's most biodiverse yet threatened habitats.

The equipment includes thermometers in a Stevenson Screen. This setup blocks direct sunlight and allows air flow for accurate shade temperatures. Visitors can view the station from outside but cannot enter the enclosure.

Northern Ireland has about 100 weather stations, ranging from full setups to basic rain gauges. The prior addition was at Thomastown in County Fermanagh, nearly 15 years ago. Other sites mentioned in forecasts include Castlederg in Tyrone and Katesbridge in Down.