azores on hurricane alert as ophelia strengthens
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

On Route For Ireland

Azores on hurricane alert as Ophelia strengthens

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today Azores on hurricane alert as Ophelia strengthens

Seven of the nine islands that make up the Azores
Lisbon - AFP

Hurricane Ophelia strengthened to a Category 3 storm as it passed near the Portuguese Azores archipelago on Saturday en route for Ireland.

"We have informed the American hurricane center that Ophelia has become Category 3, but that doesn't change our levels of alert," said Elsa Vieira, from the Portuguese Meteorological Institute's (IPMA) regional service.

Ophelia. packing winds in excess of 100 kilometres per hour, was set to pass 150 kilometres (93 miles) south of the Azores island of Santa Maria at around 1800 GMT without making landfall, she told AFP.

The storm, which has strengthened to Category 3 on a five category scale, is then expected to head northwest towards Ireland.

Philip Klotzbach, a hurricane specialist at Colorado State University, said Ophelia was "now a major hurricane" and was travelling the farthest east of any Atlantic hurricane on record.

The Miami-based US National Hurricane Center said Friday that Ophelia was forecast to produce total rain accumulations of two to four inches (51 to 101 millimetres) over the southeastern Azores through Saturday.

The rainfall could trigger flooding, it warned.

Seven of the nine islands that make up the Azores were placed on red alert by the regional civil protection services between 1800 GMT and 2400 GMT due to expected rainfall of 40 millimetres per hour.

The local population, which totals 245,000, was told to stay home if possible during the passage of the hurricane which is now a category two out of five, but still capable of generating winds of more than 100 kilometres (60 miles) per hour.

All 17 firefighting units on the archipelago are on standby to intervene, a spokeswoman for the security services told AFP.

The authorities imposed traffic restrictions on the islands of Sao Miguel and Santa Maria, which are expected to see the worst of the hurricane.

- Reaching Ireland -

Ophelia should no longer be a hurricane by the time it reaches Ireland, but will still whip up a powerful storm, the US hurricane centre predicted.

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

People in those counties are advised "to take action to protect themselves" and their property.

Mean wind speeds in excess of 80 km per hour and gusts in excess of 130 km per hour are expected, potentially causing structural damage and disruption, with dangerous marine conditions due to high seas and potential flooding, the service said.

Parts of the UK, meanwhile, have been placed on yellow alert for Monday and Tuesday, the lowest warning level triggered by "serious" weather conditions.

Source: AFP

egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

azores on hurricane alert as ophelia strengthens azores on hurricane alert as ophelia strengthens



GMT 09:23 2013 Thursday ,03 January

Haifa Wehbe: No 2012 regrets

GMT 16:55 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

Stylist fashion editor commences role

GMT 21:47 2015 Monday ,31 August

Jack Black stars in new 'Goosebumps' trailer

GMT 08:04 2017 Monday ,30 October

Pakistani bridal brand Élan showcases

GMT 11:57 2018 Thursday ,04 January

Thiem through but more seeds fall at Qatar Open

GMT 08:46 2017 Friday ,07 July

Stella Magazine associate editor

GMT 09:48 2017 Sunday ,22 October

Barcelona roll on calmly amidst Catalan chaos

GMT 08:09 2017 Monday ,27 February

A Useful Guide to Repaint the Exterior of Your Home

GMT 13:41 2017 Saturday ,06 May

Shah Rukh Khan’s Dubai film

GMT 23:20 2017 Wednesday ,08 February

In same sportive look as sibling Gigi

GMT 12:55 2018 Wednesday ,21 November

Bahrain condemns terrorist attack in Afghanistan

GMT 09:17 2018 Monday ,05 November

Edouard Philippe arrives in New Caledonia

GMT 11:20 2018 Friday ,12 October

Young Egyptian woman serves as minister for a day

GMT 10:20 2017 Monday ,29 May

Morocco protest leader arrested

GMT 23:11 2016 Monday ,20 June

Walmart, JD.com announce alliance in China

GMT 11:54 2015 Sunday ,05 July

7 Pakistani troops killed

GMT 00:33 2017 Wednesday ,01 February

Welcome back, Oman!

GMT 11:01 2017 Saturday ,25 February

Spain to cull 17,000 ducks as bird flu hits

GMT 17:40 2014 Monday ,22 September

5 memory strategies for learning anything fast
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday