Is there a hurricane coming to the UK? Will it bring 600 mile rainstorm - as Met Office predicts 'unsettled' weather conditions
Hurricane Erin is churning up life-threatening rip currents along much of the US East Coast - but will it hit the UK?
Erin, a sprawling high-end Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds just shy of Category 3 status, will impact much of the East Coast in the US with dangerous coastal conditions as it tracks north. Bermuda will face similar conditions to the storm’s east.
The impact is already being felt on US coastlines. At least 75 rip-current rescues were conducted along North Carolina’s southern coast Monday, officials in New Hanover County reported. The county’s Wrightsville Beach has issued a no-swim advisory through Friday.
The Met Office has given an update on whether the storm will impact the UK. It says: “There’s uncertainty into the latter part of the Bank Holiday weekend, with a change to unsettled weather possible. The remnants of Hurricane Erin could also influence the UK weather into next week.”
Deputy Chief Meteorologist Stephen Kocher explains: “A key feature to watch in the coming days is Hurricane Erin, which is currently a category three storm to the east of the Bahamas. We are closely watching Erin’s track, with the possibility of the UK feeling the effects of what would then be ex-hurricane Erin at some point next week, bringing an area of low pressure to the UK and more unsettled conditions.
“This is still a week away however, so there is lots of uncertainty in the forecast, but it is possible we could see some wet and windy weather for the last week of August. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the movements of Hurricane Erin over the coming days and updating our forecasts accordingly.”
Independent forecasters predicted that countrywide rain could begin to hit the country from Wednesday 27 August, with storms stretching as far as 600 miles as most of the nation is hit. At its heaviest this rain could reach around 5mm an hour, but most regions will see between 0.2 and 3mm. The Met Office said the chance of widely wetter and windier weather like storms developing is “small”, but admits it is “highly uncertain” at this stage.