Hurricane heads for UK and Ireland

BRITAIN and Ireland braced yesterday or a lashing from Ophelia, the largest hurricane ever recorded so far east in the Atlantic Ocean, after it dumped heavy rains on Portugal’s Azores islands.

As the storm passed near the Azores archipelago on Saturday it was classed Category 3, which means it packed winds of at least 178 kilometres per hour.

Though the storm will weaken as it churns towards Ireland and Britain, it still packs enough power to damage buildings and provoke “dangerous” sea conditions as well as potential flooding, authorities said.

Ophelia is the 15th named storm of the 2017 Atlantic season, which is expected to last until the end of November.

Three major hurricanes – Harvey, Irma and Maria – caused catastrophic damage in the Caribbean and the US Gulf Coast.

According to meterologists, Ophelia is the most powerful hurricane recorded so far east in the Atlantic and the first since 1939 to travel so far north.

But by the time it reaches Ireland today it is expected to weaken to a “post tropical storm” with severe winds and stormy conditions, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

Five counties in the west of Ireland will be placed on red alert for “severe” weather conditions from today morning to early Tuesday, the Irish Meteorological Service said.