The Technodrome Forums - Hurricane/Tropical Storm Ophelia expected to hit... Ireland and the UK?

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Hurricane Ophelia to hit UK this WEEKEND: Latest track model shows storm gaining strength

HURRICANE Ophelia is barrelling towards the UK with winds of up to 85mph (140kph) and the powerful storm is set to hit the UK by the end of the weekend, according to the latest track model from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

According to the NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC), which is based in the US, Hurricane Ophelia is set to make UK landfall late on Sunday evening. The full brunt of the storm is likely to hit the UK on Monday morning as it moves northeasterly across England and Scotland. Met Office meteorologist, Aidan McGivern, said the weather service was “very concerned” about Hurricane Ophelia. And earlier a Met Office spokeswoman said: "Having been a tropical system close to the point that it reaches the UK, the storm will have a lot of energy and there could be wet and windy weather on Monday.”

Ophelia is currently barrelling east across the Atlantic Ocean after forming in a similar location to the deadly hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, Jose and Nate. While Hurricanes reaching the UK is considered “unusual”, Mr McGivern said it was not “unheard of”. The remnants of Hurricane Gordon, which became a major category 3 hurricane in 2006, blasted the UK with strong winds of 81mph (130kph). The high winds caused travel chaos for railways and more than 1,000 homes were left without power in Cornwall.

Hurricane Ophelia is currently located 745miles (1,195km) southwest of the autonomous Portuguese Azores islands, travelling at 3mph. The latest public advisory issued by the NHC at 4am BST said: “At 11pm AST (3am UTC), the centre of Hurricane Ophelia was located near latitude 30.0 North, longitude 35.7 West. “Ophelia is moving toward the northeast near 3mph (6kph). This general motion is expected on Thursday, followed by faster motion toward the east-northeast or northeast on Friday. “Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 85mph (140kph) with higher gusts. Some slight strengthening is possible over the next day or two.

“Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles (35 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70miles (110km). “The estimated minimum central pressure is 986mb (29.12inches).” Ophelia is the 10th hurricane of 2017 following Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate which devastated the Caribbean and the US earlier this year. Hurricane Harvey killed 77 people and caused more than £53billion ($70billion), according to initial estimates by the US, after it devastates southern American states in August. Irma followed in early September killing at least 124 people and category 5 Hurricane Maria left 88 dead after it hit the Caribbean islands in mid- September. Hurricane Nate has killed 45 people after barrelling through the Gulf of Mexico and the southern USA.

An earlier advisory from the NHC at 10pm BST (5pm AST) said: “At 5pm AST (9pm UTC), the centre of Hurricane Ophelia was located near latitude 30.0 North, longitude 36.1 West. “Ophelia is moving toward the east near 3mph (6kph). A slow northeast drift is expected tonight and tomorrow, followed by an acceleration toward the east-northeast or northeast. “Maximum sustained winds are near 75mph (120kmph) with higher gusts. Some strengthening is possible over the next 48 hours." “Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25miles (35km) from the centre and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70miles (110km).”

http://www.express.co.uk/news/weathe...-forecast-path
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news...-36219992.html