Former Hurricane Ophelia hits Ireland, sets sights on Britain

The remnants of erstwhile Hurricane Ophelia gave Ireland a beating Monday, with at least three deaths reported, along with significant property damage.

“People should remain indoors for the duration of the storm,” declared Met Eireann, the Irish national weather service.

Hurricane-force winds of more than 80 mph were recorded at the Roches Point lighthouse on the southern coast, and gales were inciting James Joyce’s “dark mutinous Shannon waves” with “storm surges along some coasts,” the agency said.

Along with “violent and damaging winds,” the Irish weather service also warned of “spells of heavy rain and thunderstorms.”

Thousands were without power and the wind blew roofs off structures, including a soccer stadium.

The center of the storm was forecast to pass over the southwest coast, with the strongest winds to the east and south of the center.

Some people, however, were not listening to instructions and a video showing a man jumping from a diving platform into the raging Atlantic went viral in Ireland.

Across the Irish Sea, residents of England and Wales were seeing a red sun, the BBC reports.

BBC meteorolgist Simon King said the phenomenom was due to the remnants of Hurricane Ophelia dragging in tropical air and dust from the Sahara as well as smoke from forest fires raging in Portugal and Spain.

Ophelia was the 10th hurricane, and 15th named storm in the Atlantic Basin in the 2017 season. On average the basin has experienced five hurricanes and nine named storms by Oct. 15.