It’s Costa del Galway as city enjoys hottest day in May yet

Date Published: 24-May-2010

by Frank Farragher

The Costa del Galway was really the place to be for sun worshippers over the weekend – warmer than the traditional hot spots of the Canaries, Malaga and Cyprus.

Saturday was the warmest day of the year so far – and also one of the hottest ever days in the month of May – with the thermometer touching 26.3° Celsius (almost 80° Fahrenheit).

Sunday also came close behind with a maximum temperature of 25.5°C which rounded off four beautiful days of weather – on Friday the temperature was 23.2° while on Thursday the mercury touched 22.3°.

Beaches were crowded at Salthill while at Silver Strand on Sunday afternoon, the Gardai had to stop cars from entering the road to the beach because of traffic congestion.

City meteorologist, Frank Gaffney, told the Sentinel that Saturday was the warmest day in May since his records began back in 1966.

“We did have 26° in May of 1990 and 25° in May of 1989 but the 26.3° of last Saturday was certainly the warmest since my records began back in 1966,” he said.

he HSE have advised the general public to be fully aware of the dangers posed by the sun to unprotected skin – over-exposure to the sun’s rays is one of the main causes of skin cancer.