WTF - Category 2 Hurricane Ophelia Headed Towards the Azores and Ireland [View all]

[malaise]

https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/category-2-hurricane-ophelia-headed-towards-azores-and-ireland
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Ophelia’s impact on Ireland

Ophelia is expected to complete the transition to an extratropical storm just off southwest Ireland on Monday morning. As this process unfolds, the wind field of Ophelia will expand, and Ophelia promises to be a damaging wind event for Ireland. Expect widespread tree damage and uprooted trees, damaged roofs, power blackouts, mobile phone coverage interruptions, and flying debris. The Irish weather service has issued a Yellow Alert for Monday.

Winds will begin to strengthen in Ireland on Monday morning, but the real impact will be Monday afternoon and evening. Expect sustained southeasterly winds of 55 – 65 kph (34 – 40 mph) for coastal southwest Ireland (Munster province) and southeast Ireland (Leinster province.) Along the south Munster coast (south Cork and south Waterford), sustained winds of 65 - 75 kph (40 – 46 mph) are likely, and winds could be higher along exposed headlands and over the Wicklow Mountains. Up to 2” of rain can be expected over higher terrain from Ophelia. One concern for Ophelia’s impact on Ireland may be the potential for the ex-hurricane to develop a “sting jet.” This is a current of extra-strong jet stream winds that start out about 3 – 4 km above the surface, then descend over a 3 – 4 hour period. Rain falling into the jet evaporates and cools, causing the winds in the sting jet to accelerate as they reach the ground.