Humberto – which last weekend was classified as a Category-5 hurricane with devastating 260kmh winds – is not expected to make landfall in the US after forming in the Caribbean.
Instead, it is expected to sweep across the Atlantic this week, weakening as it travels, but potentially reaching Ireland on Friday.
As Humberto departs the Caribbean, yet another major storm is forming, with this tropical depression expected to expand into Storm Imelda.
Unlike Humberto, Imelda is expected to track across the lower US east coast, threatening Florida and the Carolinas.
European meteorologists are focused on Humberto to determine its precise track as it crosses the Atlantic.
The storm could potentially have a significant impact on Ireland’s weather for 48 hours from Friday. Photo: Collins
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – September 29th
The storm will weaken substantially by the time it reaches northern Europe but it will still bring powerful winds and potentially heavy rainfall.
The National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in the US confirmed Humberto reached Category-5 status on Saturday – but it is predicted to weaken from Tuesday and is not expected to make landfall in the US.
However, US weather stations confirmed it is the first time in 92 years that there have been multiple Category-5 hurricanes, also known as monster storms, in back-to-back years.
Met Éireann said the track of Humberto will be carefully monitored over the coming days.
The storm may miss Ireland altogether, though it is expected to surge into northern Europe.
However, some so-called “spaghetti storm tracks” – measurements to assess where a major storm might be approaching – shows Humberto could travel in the vicinity of Ireland.
And the storm could potentially have a significant impact on Ireland’s weather for 48 hours from Friday.
Ireland’s milder weather of bright autumn sunshine and settled conditions will end from today, the meteorological service said.
Even before Humberto draws close to Europe, Ireland’s weather will have turned wetter and breezier, it added.
Forecast
This week will be characterised by “mixed and changeable” conditions as two weather systems cause frequent rain and dry spells.
Ireland finds itself wedged between an area of low pressure in the Atlantic and an area of high pressure over Scandinavia, bringing mixed fortunes to the east and west of the country, according to Met Éireann.
Low pressure is typically associated with cloudy, rainy and unsettled weather while high pressure is the kind that is often experienced in summer with clear and sunny skies during warm weather.
The east and south are likely to experience “below normal” rainfall this week, but the west and north will have “near or above normal” rainfall, the national forecaster says.
This morning will begin cloudy but mostly dry, with the odd shower spreading east. The east will also get the best of the sunny spells , with highest temperatures nationally forecast to be between 14C and 17C.
Tonight will see outbreaks of rain from the west with lowest temperatures of 9C to 13C.
Tomorrow will be mainly wet with outbreaks of rain throughout, though the east and south will get the drier of conditions. Temperatures will be mild, ranging from 14C to 18C.
By night, rainfall will become more persistent from the west, with temperatures dropping only slightly to between 12C and 15C.
Wednesday is the first day of October, and it is set to be a typical October day with plenty of cloud and rain, worst in the west and southwest. Temperatures will be 14C to 18C.
Thursday will be another gloomy day predominated by damp and breezy weather, as heavy showers are forecast for the southwest, west and north. However, temperatures are expected to fall between a mild 14C and 18C.