Hurricane Lorenzo path: When will it hit the UK and which weather warnings are in place?

Storm expected to bring wet and windy conditions to Britain, Met Office warns

The weather system which produced Hurricane Lorenzo, the strongest storm ever recorded in the far-east Atlantic, is heading towards the UK this week.

Lorenzo, which is currently south-west of Portugal’s Azores islands, is likely follow a north-easterly track towards the UK and Ireland on Thursday, according to forecasts.

Although the storm will have lost its hurricane status by the time it arrives, it is still expected to bring more wet and windy weather to the UK’s western regions, following days of heavy rain.

“There has been considerable uncertainty over the potential track of Lorenzo after it passes the Azores,” said the Met Office’s chief meteorologist, Dan Suri.

“However, we are now increasingly confident the remnants of Lorenzo will move towards the UK, bringing a spell of wet and very windy weather to western parts on Thursday and Friday.”

The strongest winds are expected in western Ireland, Mr Suri said.

There is also a risk of coastal gales developing in Northern Ireland and western Scotland on Thursday and Wales and south-west England on Friday, the meteorologist added.

“Ex-Lorenzo” will also bring spells of heavy rain to north-western parts of the UK through Thursday and Friday, particularly in Northern Ireland, western Scotland, central England and Wales.

“Our advice is to pay close attention to the weather forecast over the next couple of days and to keep an eye out for any weather warnings that may be issued in your area,” Mr Suri said.

A full list of up-to-date weather warnings can be found on the Met Office website.

Deputy chief meteorologist Tony Wardle said: “The remnants of ex-Hurricane Lorenzo will gradually pull away from the UK later on Friday, though it’ll remain unsettled with further spells of wet and windy weather as we head into the weekend.”

In a statement, the US-based National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said it expects the eye of Lorenzo to pass near the western Azores in the Atlantic.

A hurricane warning is in effect for the islands of Flores, Corvo, Faial, Pico, Sao Jorge, Graciosa and Terceira, with maximum sustained winds expected to hit 100mph.

“Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion,” the NHC said.

Additional reporting by agencies