Hurricane Ophelia path — live updates: Latest news as tropical storm set to hit the UK

Ireland could experience winds of up to 80mph

Predicted path of Hurricane Ophelia

The UK and Ireland are bracing for the landfall of Hurricane Ophelia, as the storm makes its way north from the mid-Atlantic.

The southwest of Ireland is expected to bear the brunt of the severe weather, which could bring winds of up to 80mph, heavy rains and high seas early next week.

The Irish weather service, Met Éireann, has warned there is “still a high degree of uncertainty regarding the exact track and evolution of the storm”. A yellow weather warning is in effect.

Hurricane Ophelia is currently a Category Two storm and is expected to gain strength as it moves north east towards Britain and Ireland, according to the National Hurricane Centre (NHC).

But the colder waters of the northern Atlantic are expected to significantly weaken the storm, meaning it will not be a hurricane by the time it reaches Ireland and the UK.

Ireland and Northern Ireland are expected to be the worst affected by the strongest winds.

Western Scotland is also set to receive winds up to 70mph, according to an NHC projection.

Met Office forecaster Alex Burkhill said of Ophelia: “The forecast track takes it eastwards towards Iberia for the weekend.

”After that, indications are that by that point it will then have weakened and be no longer a hurricane or tropical storm, it will be extra-tropical.

“But then it will continue its way towards the British Isles, probably reaching us very early next week.”

Key Points

• Hurricane Ophelia set to tear into UK this weekend
• Where will the hurricane make landfall?
• Ex-forecaster Michael Fish speaks out ahead of Ophelia 

[13 October 2017 11:32 · Kristin Hugo]

Good morning,

This is Will -- I'll be manning the Independent's live blog on Hurricanr Ophelia. Do stay with us for all the latest updates. 

[13 October 2017 11:37 · Kristin Hugo]

Hurricane Ophelia is now a category 2 storm, the National Hurricane Centre has announced.

[13 October 2017 13:39 · Kristin Hugo]

This, from the Blackrock Castle Observatory in Cork, shows the category 2 Hurricane Ophelia and its recent position in the Atlantic. 

[13 October 2017 13:42 · Kristin Hugo]

This image from the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) shows the position of Ophelia in the Atlantic. The NHC has categorised it as a Category 2 storm, but it is expected to have weakened by the time it reaches Ireland. 

[13 October 2017 13:53 · Kristin Hugo]

Hurricane Ophelia is lingering in its position, which is partly why it is expected to take so long to reach Ireland and the UK. It is currently blowing winds of up to 105mph, according to the National Hurricane Centre.

It is not expected to reach the British Isles until Monday afternoon. The route is said to be rather unusual for Atlantic storms.  

[13 October 2017 14:03 · Kristin Hugo]

Hurricane Ophelia is pretty weak by comparison to recent storms which have ravaged the US and Caribbean. 

A reminder of their strength, in chronological order:

Hurricane Harvey

Category 4

Top wind speed: 130mph

Deaths: 77

Damages: $70bn (£52.5bn)

Hurricane Irma

Category 5

Top wind speed: 183mph

Deaths: 134

Damages: $62bn (£46.5bn)

Hurricane Jose

Category 1

Top wind speed: 155mph

Deaths: 1

Damages: unknown

[13 October 2017 14:08 · Kristin Hugo]

[13 October 2017 14:27 · Kristin Hugo]

There’s lots of chatter from meteorologists online about how unusual this storm is. Irish and British residents will appreciate this – neither country usually get anything close to really severe weather.

Some key points highlighted by weather writer Dennis Mersereau at Flipboard:

• Hurricanes don’t usually form so far out to sea – “Ophelia formed where hurricanes usually go to die,” he says.
• They don’t usually head towards Western Europe, let alone Ireland and Britain.
• Hurricanes have been unusually frequent and severe this season.

Mersereau also points out that just because a storm has shed its ‘hurricane’ status, they can still be dangerous.

He says: “The storm will have all the force and effect of a hurricane without the title or the name. Power outages, downed trees, and flooding are possible across Ireland and parts of the United Kingdom.”

[13 October 2017 14:29 · Kristin Hugo]

The Met Office says the storm could bring:

• Transport disruption
• Power cuts
• Building damage
• Large waves 

[13 October 2017 14:30 · Kristin Hugo]