Will Storm Erin hit UK as tropical storm tears through African islands?
Forecasters are divided on where the storm will end up by the end of the week.
Storm Erin may turn into a hurricane by the end of the week
(Image: WeatherMatrix via Express)
After Storm Floris swept the country last week, forecasters are predicting that another major weather system could form a hurricane and head for the UK. Tropical Storm Erin formed today, August 12, near Cabo Verde off the west coast of Africa, where the extreme weather has led to seven reported deaths so far.
Cabo Verde, a group of islands that sit just off western Africa, has been hit hard by the tropical storm, with the islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão seeing the worst of the devastation. Pictures show destroyed properties and flooded streets where cars have been swallowed by the water after severe rainfall.
Meteorologist Max Velocity reported on X that seven people have been killed by the storm so far, and the Mirror is currently working to verify this figure.
Forecast models indicate that the tropical storm could turn into a 'major hurricane' this weekend, reports the Express. But while Erin will possibly affect the Bahamas and Bermuda, consensus from forecasters say it's unlikely to head for the UK.
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But according to the independent forecaster Netweather, Erin could recurve northeast over the North Atlantic and possibly head towards the UK, just in time for the weekend. It comes as Storm Dexter is already due to have an affect on UK weather in coming days.
Tropical Storm Erin is positioned just west of the Cabo Verde Islands and is expected to track generally westwards for much of the week.
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Forecasts indicate a gradual strengthening, with Erin potentially reaching hurricane status later this week while remaining far from land in the central Atlantic.
Spaghetti models, which display multiple computer-generated storm track projections, are divided significantly on the future of the storm.
Most models indicate that Erin will take a turn to the northwest, staying over the waters of the Atlantic and avoiding land altogether.
But a smaller cluster shows a more westerly path that could bring the storm closer to the Lesser Antilles, a group of islands in the Caribbean, later this week.
(Image: PA)
Despite some independent forecasters flagging the possibility of Erin heading to the UK, the Met Office is yet to issue a verdict on whether Brits will be affected by the possible hurricane.
And at the moment, the Met Office predicts 'fine, dry and very warm' weather for this weekend.
Its long-range forecast for Saturday, August 16 to Monday, August 25 says: "High pressure is set to dominate the UK by this weekend, bringing fine, dry, and very warm or hot weather with light winds for most, though breezier in the far south.
"After a spell of cooler, cloudy, and murky conditions in the north, especially along coasts, it will turn clearer and warmer here too.
"Early next week, there's an increased chance of very hot conditions in the south, possibly with rain or thundery showers.
"Once this clears, changeable weather is more likely, with outbreaks of rain (most frequent in the west) and warm, dry interludes with sunny spells.
"Toward the end of this period, there are some indications of an increased chance of more generally unsettled weather developing, though confidence at this range is typically low."
It comes after the chaos of Storm Floris last Monday, August 4, which brought high winds and widespread power outages in Scotland.
Much of the country saw a severe Amber wind warning for the storm, and conditions have been mostly settled since then.
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