Ireland has braced itself for the storm's powerful impact. The hurricane skirted the Azores as it continued on its northeasterly Atlantic course, packing 185 kph winds and threatening torrential rain and floods.
Image: Imago/ZUMA Press/NASA Earth
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The Shakespearean name aptly fits the dramatic weather situation: Hurricane Ophelia, the farthest northeast Atlantic hurricane on record, was upgraded to a Category 3 storm as it passed next to the Portuguese Azores on Saturday evening on its expected northeasterly course toward 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.
The storm was packing winds of over 115 miles per hour (185 kilometers an hour), although it is expected to weaken before arriving on the west coast of the British Isles. The US National Hurricane Center said that Ophelia will likely weaken before making landfall on the Emerald Isle, but warned that it could still be powerful.
Colorado State University Hurricane Specialist Philip Klotzbach said that Ophelia's eastern location was unprecedented, also pointing out that it was the farthest north a hurricane has traveled this late in the calendar year since 1939.
Ireland prepares for rain and wind
The Irish Meteorological Service issued a "severe" weather alert for five counties in the western part of Ireland for Monday morning into early Tuesday. Constant high and gusting winds of up to 80 miles an hour (130 kilometers per hour) could cause damage and disruption, the service warned, as well as the possibility of high seas and flooding.
All schools have been ordered to remain closed on Monday.
Britain's meteorological service also warned that high winds might hit Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England.
On Saturday evening, inhabitants of the Azores had braced themselves for 2 to 4 inches (51 to 101 millimeters) of rain. Authorities placed seven of the nine islands on red alert as they told people to stay home.
Ophelia is the sixth major hurricane this season. The storm's formation is an encore appearance; in 2005, a hurricane bearing the same name moved upward along the eastern Atlantic coast of the United States.
Cyclones, typhoons, hurricanes - the power of devastation
Cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes pack a devastating punch: wherever they go, they leave a trail of destruction. But how do these powerful tropical storms arise?
Image: AFP/D. Sarkar
Social distancing impossible during Cyclone Amphan
Residents along Bangladesh's coast are being moved to safety as one of the strongest cyclones in years strikes the region. Millions of people had to be evacuated from low-lying regions along the Bay of Bengal on May 19. But plans are complicated by the coronavirus precautions. Maintaining social distancing is nearly impossible.
Image: AFP/District Administration of Bhola
Typhoon season amid the COVID-19 pandemic
On May 14, Typhoon Vongfong slammed the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rains, destroying the city of San Policarpo in the eastern province of Samar. At least five people died and more than 91,000 people were forced to leave their homes. Typhoons are not unusual in the Philippines at this time of year. But the COVID-19 outbreak lockdown measures are exacerbating the situation.
Image: AFP/A. Beronio
Three names - one phenomenon
Hurricane, typhoon, and cyclone are actually three names for the same phenomenon. Along the North American coast they are called hurricanes, in East and Southeast Asia they are called typhoons, and near India and Australia they are called cyclones. But despite the different names, they develop in the same way.
Image: Reuters
A cyclone is created
Tropical storms develop over oceans when the water temperature is at least 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit). As the warm water evaporates and condenses, the air around it heats up and drags cooler air upwards, creating powerful winds.
The eye of the storm
The Earth's rotation causes the air stream to move around the eye of the storm, which can be up to 50 kilometers wide. This area is nearly completely free of clouds and wind.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
A storm hits land
When a tropical storm hits a coastline, it becomes weaker due to the lack of warm water. In Australia, "Marcia" was soon downgraded to a category one storm, while "Lam" weakened after striking near Brisbane. Masses of water from the sea often cause the worst damage - as seen here in China after Typhoon Nanmadol in August 2011.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Chaos ensues
Hurricane Sandy was one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded over the Atlantic Ocean. It caused waves of up to 4 meters high, fires, power outages and broken dykes. Sandy arrived with winds at speeds of more than 145 kilometers per hour. Cuba, New York and New Jersey were particularly affected.
Image: Reuters
Destructive vortex
Tornadoes however, are non-tropical whirlwinds that can occur anywhere a storm is brewing. Local temperature differences force warm air upwards and cold air down, and a column of warm air rotates upwards at an increasing velocity. Tornadoes are usually only a maximum of 1 kilometer in diameter.
Fastest storms
As the warm air rises, it forms a funnel, the main characteristic of a tornado. Inside the funnel, the speed of the air can be tremendous - up to 500 kilometers per hour. Tornadoes are the fastest whirlwind type of weather phenomenon.
Image: Fotolia/Daniel Loretto
Trail of destruction
A tornado can leave a trail of destruction several kilometers long. In the US Midwest, tornadoes occur several hundred times a year, as dry, cold air from the north hits damp, warm air from the Gulf of Mexico. It's different in other countries - in Germany, for example, tornadoes occasionally occur along the coast.
