Heat and Waves aplenty, but Donegal avoids a ‘heatwave’ 

It was certainly a warm June bank holiday weekend, but we were spared that extra degree of heat that would have sizzled us towards the first Donegal heatwave of 2023. 

And even then, the 25C plus scorcher required would have to be sustained over a full five day period.  

But it was a good effort and at times, it certainly felt like we were in the throes of a heatwave.  

All Donegal beaches were packed, buckets, spades and sunscreen were important allies, while cool drinks and ice cream were a necessity, rather than a treat.

Lifeguards were also on duty at all the main beaches including Bundoran, Rossnowlagh, Murvagh, Fintra, Naran, Carrickfin, Killahoey, Marble Hill, Downings, Portsalon, Rathmullan, Stroove and Culdaff.

The mercury hit its highest on Monday afternoon at the Donegal Met Éireann automatic synoptic station at Finner, while at Malin Head weather station, the highest temperature was recorded the previous Thursday, June 1 at 15.4C.

The highest official Donegal temperature was recorded at the Met Éireann’s Finner Camp weather station, which registered a temperature of 24.5C at 1pm on Monday’s public holiday 

while the highest temperature recorded the day before, on Sunday, was 24.4C. 

The last time that a daily high of less than 20C was recorded at Finner was back on Sunday, May 28, some ten days ago. 

On the Bank Holiday Monday, that same day at Malin Head, it was 15.3C at its highest recorded between noon and 3pm, while Malin on Tuesday was a more sedate 14.9C between 1pm and 7pm.

Donegal’s last heat waves were recorded at the end of July in 2021 and before that, June of 2018.

The outlook for the next few days is that it will stay warm and largely dry until early Saturday morning, when some showery rain will move up from the south, with humid conditions on the way and there is also the potential for a couple of thunderstorms at some stage over the weekend.  

Met Éireann Donegal End of May/ early June Weather Observations 

Finner Camp      Max(C)    Min(C) 

Wed June 7        c.23        N/A

Tues June 6        22.8        13.3

Mon June 5         24.5        12.1

Sun June 4         24.4         9.5

Sat June 3          22.0         9.1

Fri June 2           20.5         4.1

Thurs June 1       22.3         7.7

Wed May 31        23.9         8.4

Tues May 30        21.8        7.9

Mon May 29         20.8        4.1