Hurricane Lorenzo: Strongest hurricane in history in Eastern Atlantic sets sights on UK

Hurricane Lorenzo is an incredibly powerful hurricane according to the National Hurricane Center, and it is continuing to strengthen as it tracks through the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Packing maximum sustained winds of 145mph, Lorenzo was located around 1660 miles south-west of the Azores. One chart has revealed the winds could begin to impact the UK next week as it tracks through the Atlantic.

Satellite imagery of Lorenzo shows a thick core surrounding a big clear eye.

The last storm to reach wind speeds of 145mph in this area of the Atlantic was Hurricane Helene in 1988, however, this didn’t achieve peak intensity until it was 400 miles west of Lorenzo’s current location.

The NHC reports the eye of dangerous Hurricane Lorenzo “is now completely surrounded by a ring of convection with cold cloud tops less than minus 70 degrees Celsius.”

Lorenzo is a large hurricane, with hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 45 miles from the centre of the weather system and tropical-storm-force winds extending outward up to 255 miles.

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The hurricane is forecast to continue on its track northwest, before gradually turning to the north and then northeast.

This direction could put winds on course to reach the UK and Ireland by next week.

Irish Weather Online forecaster Prof Peter O’Donnell said: “This hurricane is slowly gathering strength well to the south of the Azores where it could hit as a hurricane of diminishing intensity (after reaching major hurricane status in the meanwhile).

“Too early to say with much confidence where Lorenzo’s remnants will actually head although most models seem to favour a track several hundred miles west of Ireland towards the Icelandic region with a loop around the northern Atlantic.

“Associated fronts and disturbances could then reach Ireland later even if Lorenzo never does.”

Weather graphics from WXCharts show maximum wind gusts of approximately 38.5mph could impact the UK and Ireland in some areas on Thursday, October 3.

Heavy rainfall could also be an impact of the remnants of Hurricane Lorenzo reaching the UK.

The Met Office reports for Sunday through to Thursday the weather will feel “unsettled with showers and spells of rain, windy at times.

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“Heaviest rain and strongest winds across central and southern areas; best of any drier, brighter weather across parts of Scotland.”

Met Office rain warnings not associated with Lorenzo are in force for the UK across this weekend – September 28 and 29. 

Elsewhere in the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Karen has begun to weaken and is forecast to degenerate into a remnant low by Saturday.

Karen is located approximately 350 miles south-southeast of Bermuda and has wind speeds of 40mph.

source: express.co.uk