Barbmac

Very cold start to the day here at 1.8 C! Very still and looks to be a fine and sunny day ahead. This is my favourite type of autumn weather!

Very gusty and windy night here on the Malvern Hills. I don't know if there are any official wind measurements up here, we get far stronger wind than down in Great Malvern due to the altitude. Still dark so not been out to see how things look. Finally seems to be calming down now after many hours.

Radio Kerry are broadcasting on FB live if anyone's so inclined to listen. https://www.facebook.com/radiokerry/

Perhaps this map/site might help? https://www.esb.ie/esb-networks/powercheck/

Wind's really picking up in West Malvern, very warm and muggy feel, 16.4 C currently. Quite a yellowish tinge to the sky, cascades of leaves falling off the sycamores with every gust, and we are a long way east of the action. Edit west to east!

We've moderate rain in Malvern, but it's really warm outside! Not much wind. I see Ophelia's shifted more westwards, I hope that means better news for a lot of folk. Even so, stay safe everyone.

Just like in 'The Birds'! Animals and birds are super-sensitive to these things, apparently it might be because of infra-sound, or air pressure changes. Interesting article in the Guardian some years back, in that case it was tornadoes, but still from a huge distance away. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/dec/18/birds-storm-infrasound-warblers

Ophelia's showing up with a little electrical activity on lightning maps: https://www.lightningmaps.org/?lang=en#y=47.2524;x=-10.3817;z=5;t=3;m=sat;r=0;s=0;o=0;b=0.00;n=0;d=3;dl=2;dc=0;

Thanks for your answers, karlos, Jo and Nick. Your article is most helpful, Jo, I have some reading to do!

Can I ask a rookie question: Where does a post-tropical cyclone like Ophelia get the energy from to become a hurricane again, in our part of the world? Are the waters warm enough or is it something else entirely? And not looking good for Ireland or Scotland, at this rate.

Sorry I didn't realise that, hope this works: https://www.facebook.com/kwspearfishing?hc_ref=ARTulXmWajNmiCAarFdtfSTpi5eASkqm-OvTjBKj5Jk9OlANkOtQAvQ2fOk8l464mWM

Good livestream on FB right now, eye wall approaching Key West where this guy is. https://www.facebook.com/livemap/#@25.492868271257127,-79.639892578125,6z

A guy on the Keys with an IR camera thru his window https://www.facebook.com/livemap/#@24.56273686820862,-81.61674499511719,10z

Forecast cone for Irma just published, seems she won't make landfall till later than previously thought - more time over the sea, more time to strengthen again?

New advisory out from the NHC: 000 WTNT31 KNHC 100257 TCPAT1 BULLETIN Hurricane Irma Advisory Number 44 NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL112017 1100 PM EDT Sat Sep 09 2017 ...IRMA TAKING ITS TIME MOVING AWAY FROM CUBA... ...LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE EXPECTED IN THE FLORIDA KEYS AND THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA... SUMMARY OF 1100 PM EDT...0300 UTC...INFORMATION ----------------------------------------------- LOCATION...23.5N 81.0W ABOUT 30 MI...50 KM NNE OF VARADERO CUBA ABOUT 90 MI...145 KM SE OF KEY WEST FLORIDA MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...120 MPH...195 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 305 DEGREES AT 6 MPH...9 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...933 MB...27.55 INCHES DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK ------------------------------ At 1100 PM EDT (0300 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Irma was located near latitude 23.5 North, longitude 81.0 West. Irma is moving slowly northwestward away from the north coast of Cuba near 6 mph (9 km/h). A turn toward the north-northwest with an increase in forward speed is expected through late Monday. On the forecast track, the center of Irma is expected to cross the Lower Florida Keys Sunday morning and then move near or along the west coast of Florida Sunday afternoon through Monday morning. Irma should then move inland over the Florida panhandle and southwestern Georgia Monday afternoon. Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph (195 km/h) with higher gusts. Irma is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Irma is forecast to restrengthen a little while it moves through the Straits of Florida and remain a powerful hurricane as it approaches the Florida Keys and the west coast of Florida. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km) from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205 miles (335 km). The estimated minimum central pressure is 933 mb (27.55 inches).

Key West seaport cam: and Two Friends Roof, Key West

Marathon on the Florida Keys, another good webcam to watch once it gets light, it's already raining there:

Woke quite early to see what the latest news is but it's not good at all. Irma's path now giving Florida a direct hit. No livefeeds from any of Turks and Caicos that I can find, I imagine it was bad there. Showing latest trajectories and warnings for Irma and Jose: http://google.org/crisismap/2017-irma?hl=en&llbox=35.46%2C11.66%2C-40.38%2C-100.41&t=TERRAIN&layers=3%2C1340721332252%2C30%2C1%2C31%2C32%2C5%2C49%2C15%2C11%2C20%2C12%2Clayer9%2Clayer8

Just heard on the BBC weather the eye is expected there around midnight our time.

Yes I expect he must have heard the fate of Barbuda and St Martin, it's not looking good for T&C either. He did say they have a Cat 5 hurricane shelter on the island so I hope it holds out!

Here's someone on the T&C Isles who is hoping to broadcast as often as possible: https://www.facebook.com/livemap/#@21.06399706324597,-69.8291015625,5z

Crazy winds in this livestream: https://www.facebook.com/livemap/#@18.019221727766823,-64.44580078125,9z

No it's not Irma, I showed the footage to a Floridian who told me it's an old video.

Last night here was very quiet, you'd never guess there were storms anywhere. Hot and oppressive. And now, after a dull start, we have drizzle and hill fog! Currently 19.2 C.

The wind gusts are terrifying up here on the Malvern hills. Honestly haven't heard anything this loud since the 2014 storm. Temperature an academic 8.0OC. No rain at this point, just a howling gale.