Hurricane Ophelia (2017)

{{storm path|Ophelia 2017 path.png|colors=new}}

On 3 October, a broad low-pressure area had formed along a stationary front about {{convert|460|mi|km|abbr=on|round=5|order=flip}} west of the Azores. The low meandered over the north Atlantic for days. On 6 October, a large wind field had formed associated with the low. The low only developed shallow, weak convection, along with a long, curved cloud band, and a cold-core center—typical characteristics of an extratropical low.{{cite report|last=Stewart|first=Stacy R.|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=27 March 2018|access-date=1 April 2018|title=Hurricane Ophelia|series=Tropical Cyclone Report|url={{NHC TCR url|id=AL172017_Ophelia}}|format=PDF}} The system began to acquire subtropical characteristics on the next day, benefits from warm sea surface temperature of {{convert|27|C|F}}, thus the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted for a high chance of tropical cyclogenesis.{{cite web|last=Stewart|first=Stacy|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/xgtwo/gtwo_archive.php?current_issuance=201710071738&basin=atl&fdays=2|title=Two-Day Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=7 October 2017|access-date=13 October 2017}} Although the system lost some of its organization due to dry mid-level air,{{cite web|last=Cangialosi|first=John|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/xgtwo/gtwo_archive.php?current_issuance=201710080915&basin=atl&fdays=2|title=Two-Day Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=8 October 2017|access-date=13 October 2017}} it managed to develop gale-force winds and a well-defined center.{{cite web|last=Stewart|first=Stacey|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/xgtwo/gtwo_archive.php?current_issuance=201710082230&basin=atl&fdays=2|title=Two-Day Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=8 October 2017|access-date=13 October 2017}} Deep convection continued to develop near the center early on 9 October,{{cite web|last=Berg|first=Robbie|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/xgtwo/gtwo_archive.php?current_issuance=201710090301&basin=atl&fdays=2|title=Two-Day Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=9 October 2017|access-date=13 October 2017}} and the NHC classified the system as Tropical Storm Ophelia at 06:00 UTC, about {{convert|875|mi|km|abbr=on|round=5|order=flip}} west-southwest of the Azores.

File:Ophelia 2017-10-12 1530Z.jpg

Despite moving over marginally warm waters of {{convert|26.5|C|F}}, the effects of cold air temperatures aloft and decreasing wind shear allowed Ophelia to gradually strengthen. At the same time, Ophelia drifted several hundred miles southwest of the Azores due to the cut off from mid-latitude westerlies.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2017/al17/al172017.discus.003.shtml?|title=Tropical Storm Ophelia Discussion Number 3|work=National Hurricane Center|first=Stacey|last=Stewart|date=9 October 2017|access-date=13 October 2017}} In addition, the large temperature contrast between the unusually-warm ocean surface and the extremely cold temperatures in the upper atmosphere provided instability for Ophelia's thunderstorms, which allowed the storm to continue strengthening, despite marginally warm ocean temperatures.{{cite web|url=https://www.popsci.com/hurricane-ophelia-british-isles|title=Hurricane Ophelia is one extremely weird storm|last=Mersereau|first=Dennis|publisher=Popular Science|date=13 October 2017|access-date=15 October 2017}} Late on 10 October, Ophelia began to move southeastwards as it embedded in a mid-to upper-level trough.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2017/al17/al172017.discus.007.shtml?|title=Tropical Storm Ophelia Discussion Number 7|work=National Hurricane Center|first=Stacey|last=Stewart|date=10 October 2017|access-date=13 October 2017}} A slight degradation of the structure of the storm resulted in some weakening early on 11 October,{{cite web|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2017/al17/al172017.discus.008.shtml?|title=Tropical Storm Ophelia Discussion Number 8|work=National Hurricane Center|first=Daniel|last=Brown|date=11 October 2017|access-date=13 October 2017}} but this was short-lived as deep convection wrapped around the entire storm.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2017/al17/al172017.discus.009.shtml?|title=Tropical Storm Ophelia Discussion Number 9|work=National Hurricane Center|first=Jack|last=Beven|date=11 October 2017|access-date=13 October 2017}} After developing a ragged eye,{{cite web|url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2017/al17/al172017.discus.010.shtml?|title=Tropical Storm Ophelia Discussion Number 10|work=National Hurricane Center|first=Lixion|last=Avila|date=11 October 2017|access-date=13 October 2017}} the NHC upgraded Ophelia to a hurricane at 18:00 UTC about {{convert|760|mi|km|abbr=on|round=5|order=flip}} south of the Azores. Upon the upgrade, Ophelia becoming the record-tying tenth consecutive hurricane to form during the 2017 hurricane season; this was the fourth such occurrence after 1878, 1886, and 1893 seasons.{{cite news |title=10 Weeks, 10 Hurricanes, and a 124-Year-Old Record Is Matched |first=Maggie |last=Astor |date=11 October 2017 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/11/climate/hurricane-ophelia.html }}1878, 1886, and 1893 also had ten consecutive hurricanes form; however as these years are several decades before the advent of satellite data (post-1966), these years may be considered unreliable as several tropical storms in between could have been easily missed. Conversely, before the satellite era, hurricanes might have not been detected or detected but not as hurricanes, so there could be other seasons before the satellite era that had 10 or more consecutive hurricanes. Afterwards, Ophelia steadily intensified as it became nearly stationary, intensifying to a Category 2 hurricane late on 12 October, as the eye became better defined.{{cite web|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2017/al17/al172017.discus.015.shtml?|title=Hurricane Ophelia Discussion Number 15|work=National Hurricane Center|first=David|last=Zelinsky|date=12 October 2017|access-date=14 October 2017}} Ophelia achieved its initial peak intensity at 06:00 UTC on 13 October, with maximum sustained winds of {{convert|105|mph|km/h|abbr=on|order=flip}} and a central pressure of {{convert|966|mbar|hPa inHg|abbr=on}}.

The hurricane accelerated to the northeast, under the influence of the large mid-latitude trough.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2017/al17/al172017.discus.016.shtml?|title=Hurricane Ophelia Discussion Number 16|work=National Hurricane Center|first=Eric|last=Blake|date=13 October 2017|access-date=14 October 2017}} Ophelia weakened slightly later that day. The cloud tops warmed due to moderate vertical wind shear,{{cite web|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2017/al17/al172017.discus.018.shtml?|title=Hurricane Ophelia Discussion Number 18|work=National Hurricane Center|first=Michael|last=Brennan|date=13 October 2017|access-date=14 October 2017}} but wind shear decreased shortly afterwards, allowed Ophelia to strengthen once again.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2017/al17/al172017.discus.019.shtml?|title=Hurricane Ophelia Discussion Number 19|work=National Hurricane Center|first=David|last=Zelinsky|date=13 October 2017|access-date=14 October 2017}} Its eye became better defined, and the NHC upgraded Ophelia to a Category 3 hurricane at 12:00 UTC on 14 October; at 27.7°W, this was the farthest east that a storm of such intensity had been observed in the satellite era.{{cite tweet|user=philklotzbach|author=Philip Klotzbach|title=Ophelia is now a major hurricane - the farthest east (26.6°W) an Atlantic major hurricane has existed on record|url=https://twitter.com/philklotzbach/status/919211620286414849|website=Twitter|access-date=14 October 2017|date=14 October 2017|number=919211620286414849}} It attained its peak intensity simultaneously with maximum sustained winds of {{convert|115|mph|km/h|abbr=on|order=flip}} and a central pressure of {{convert|959|mbar|hPa inHg|abbr=on}} while located approximately {{convert|575|mi|km|abbr=on|round=5|order=flip}} southwest of the Azores. Early on 15 October, increasing wind shear and cold waters of {{convert|20|C|F}} caused Ophelia to gradually weaken. Embedded within a fast southwesterly flow, Ophelia raced to the north-northeast with a speed of {{convert|38|mph|km/h|abbr=on|order=flip}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2017/al17/al172017.discus.026.shtml?|title=Hurricane Ophelia Discussion Number 26|work=National Hurricane Center|first=Lixion|last=Avila|date=15 October 2017|access-date=17 October 2017}} After losing all of its deep convection and becoming attached to a warm front and a cold front,{{cite web|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2017/al17/al172017.discus.028.shtml?|title=Post-Tropical Cyclone Ophelia Discussion Number 28|work=National Hurricane Center|first=Robbie|last=Berg|date=16 October 2017|access-date=17 October 2017}} the storm became extratropical at 00:00 UTC on the next day, about {{convert|310|mi|km|abbr=on|round=5|order=flip}} southwest of Mizen Head. The extratropical low then made landfall in southwestern Ireland, near Valentia Island, with winds of {{convert|75|mph|km/h|abbr=on|order=flip}}, at 11:00 UTC. Afterwards, Ophelia's extratropical remnants tracked over Ireland and made its second landfall in Soay, Inner Hebrides with winds of {{convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on|order=flip}}, at 23:45 UTC. On 17 October, the extratropical low turned to the east-northeast, and tracked over the North Sea. The storm made its third and final landfall in Våge, Austevoll, with winds of {{convert|45|mph|km/h|abbr=on|order=flip}}, at 17:30 UTC, before dissipating over Norway early on 18 October.

File:91L formation RBTOP.gif

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere issued a red warning for heavy rainfall for the eastern group of the Azores—São Miguel, Santa Maria and Formigas—on 14 October from 17:59 UTC to 23:59 UTC.{{cite web |language=pt |url=https://www.ipma.pt/pt/enciclopedia/otempo/sam/index.html?page=criterios.xml |title=Critérios de Emissão dos Avisos Meteorológicos |trans-title=Weather Warnings Emission Criteria |publisher=IPMA)}} An orange gale warning was issued for the eastern group for the afternoon through night of 14–15 October, as well as a yellow alert for high seas. Rainfall alerts were also issued for the central group—Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge Island, Pico and Faial.

The President of the Regional Service of Civil Protection of the Azores, Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Neves, announced there was no serious damage. High winds downed four trees on São Miguel, three in the Ponta Delgada district and one in Povoação. The island also experienced some minor flooding. In the central group of the Azores, there were a few instances of light damage, with one home suffering a roof leak.{{cite web |url=http://www.acorianooriental.pt/noticia/passagem-de-furacao-sem-ocorrencias-graves-282612 |title=Passagem de furacão sem ocorrências graves |language=pt |publisher=Açoriano Oriental}}

File:Wildfires over Portugal and Spain on 15 October 2017.jpeg

{{Main|October 2017 Iberian wildfires}}

Starting on 15 October 2017, winds from Ophelia fanned wildfires in both Portugal and Spain. The wildfires have claimed the lives of at least 49 individuals, including 45 in Portugal and four in Spain, and dozens more were injured.{{Cite news|url=https://www.jn.pt/nacional/interior/numero-de-mortos-nos-incendios-sobe-para-45-8867992.html|title=UPDATE: Portugal forest fires death toll rises to 45|date=2017-10-24|work=ENCA World|access-date=2017-10-25|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/world/1343543/39-dead-in-terror-arson-fires-in-portugal-spain|title=39 dead in 'terror-arson' fires in Portugal, Spain|work=Bangkok Post|date=17 October 2017|access-date=16 October 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Badcock|first1=James|title=At least 27 dead as Ophelia winds fan wildfires in Portugal|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/15/deadly-spanish-wildfires-bear-town-vigo-hundreds-evacuated/|website=Telegraph|date=15 October 2017 |access-date=16 October 2017}}{{cite web|title=At least 30 killed as Ophelia winds fan wildfires in Portugal and Spain|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/16/portugal-spain-wildfires-forest-fires-ophelia-villages-evacuated|work=The Guardian|date=16 October 2017 |access-date=16 October 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Minder|first1=Raphael|title=Deadly Fires Sweep Portugal and Northern Spain|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/16/world/europe/portugal-spain-fires.html|work=New York Times|date=16 October 2017 |access-date=16 October 2017}} In Portugal, more than 4,000 firefighters battled around 150 fires.{{cite web|last1=Vonberg|first1=Judith|title=Portugal and Spain wildfires kill at least 35 people|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/16/europe/portugal-spain-wildfires/index.html|website=cnn.com|date=16 October 2017 |access-date=16 October 2017}} The National Hurricane Center's Tropical Cyclone Report on Hurricane Ophelia makes no mention of the fires, thus the associated fatalities are not included as part of the storm total.

File:Ophelia 16 October 2017.png

Met Éireann, Ireland's national meteorological service, reported on 12 October that the storm would reach Ireland. On 14 October, it issued a 'Status Red' warning, its highest storm category,{{cite web |title=Met Éireann Weather Warning System Explained |url=https://met.ie/nationalwarnings/warnings-explained.asp |publisher=Met Éireann}} for portions of Ireland.{{cite news |title=Hurricane Ophelia: Ireland issues highest possible 'status red' weather warning |first=Natasha |last=Salmon |date=14 October 2017 |journal=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/hurricane-ophelia-ireland-storm-weather-latest-status-red-warning-alert-a8000446.html}}{{cite news |title=Hurricane Ophelia warning at highest level Status Red - Northern Ireland braced for impact |date=14 October 2017 |journal=Belfast Telegraph |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/hurricane-ophelia-warning-at-highest-level-status-red-northern-ireland-braced-for-impact-36226840.html}} Issuing such a warning more than 48 hours in advance was "unprecedented," as such warnings are normally issued within 24 hours of the event.{{r|is_a_hurricane}} On 15 October, the National Emergency Coordination Centre and Met Éireann convened to advise the public in relation to the post-tropical storm reaching Ireland. At 20:15 on the 15th, 'status red' was extended to all of Ireland,{{cite news |title='This is not the remnants of a hurricane, this IS a hurricane' - Red weather warning extended nationwide as Hurricane Ophelia barrels in |first1=Luke |last1=Byrne |first2=Mary |last2=McDonnell |date=15 October 2017 |journal=Irish Independent |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/this-is-not-the-remnants-of-a-hurricane-this-is-a-hurricane-red-weather-warning-extended-nationwide-as-hurricane-ophelia-barrels-in-36228710.html}} and all public education services were confirmed as cancelled.{{cite news |title=All schools and colleges and creches to remain closed today, Department of Education confirms |date=15 October 2017 |publisher=Irish Independent |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/all-schools-and-colleges-to-remain-closed-tomorrow-department-of-education-confirms-36229263.html}}

The Department of Education confirmed that all Montessoris, crèches, primary and post-primary schools would be closed on 16 and 17 October.{{Cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/all-schools-and-colleges-and-creches-to-remain-closed-monday-department-of-education-confirms-36229263.html|title=All schools and colleges and creches to remain closed Monday, Department of Education confirms - Independent.ie|work=Independent.ie|access-date=16 October 2017|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/RichardbrutonTD/status/919937236937961472|title=Following careful consideration by the National Emergency Coordination Group, the Department of Education and Skills, has decided that all schools will remain closed tomorrow #Ophelia|last=Bruton|first=Richard|date=16 October 2017|website=@RichardbrutonTD|language=en|access-date=16 October 2017}} Other public services would be withdrawn such as Court and District Court services, third-level institutes such as UCC, CIT, University of Limerick, and Waterford Institute of Technology.{{cite news |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/1015/912467-ophelia/|title=Schools shut, court sittings cancelled over Ophelia |date=15 October 2017 |publisher=RTÉ.ie}} Aer Lingus confirmed a number of flights from Cork Airport and Shannon Airport would be cancelled, with the likelihood of 50 flights being cancelled.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/AerLingus/status/919611186668294145|title=A number of flights on Mon 16 Oct are cancelled due to severe weather|publisher=Aer Lingus}} All public transport previously scheduled within the red alert zone were cancelled including bus, rail and ferry journeys. Bus Éireann announced the cancellation of school bus services for the west of Ireland after Met Éireann issued a rare Status Red warning affecting the south western and western counties of Wexford, Waterford, Cork, Kerry, Clare, Mayo and Galway.{{Cite web| title = Bus Éireann cancels school buses over Hurricane Ophelia| publisher = RTE.ie| access-date = 14 October 2017| date = 14 October 2017| url = https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/1014/912351-ophelia/}} The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government confirmed members of the public should not make any unnecessary journeys especially travelling within the red level warning areas and the department reiterated the storm's potential risk to life.{{cite press release |url=http://www.housing.gov.ie/local-government/fire-and-emergency-management/statement-national-emergency-coordination-group |title=Statement from the National Emergency Coordination Group on Severe Weather |first=Eddie |last=Kiernan |date=15 October 2017 |publisher=Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government}}

On 16 October, gusts of up to {{convert|191|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} were recorded at Fastnet Rock off the coast of County Cork, the highest wind speeds ever recorded in Ireland. 10-minute sustained wind speeds at Roches Point, also in County Cork, reached {{convert|111|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, with gusts of {{convert|156|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}.{{cite news |last= Siggins|first= Lorna|date= 18 October 2017|title= Storm Ophelia: Facts and figures of the strongest east Atlantic hurricane in 150 years|url= https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/storm-ophelia-facts-and-figures-of-the-strongest-east-atlantic-hurricane-in-150-years-1.3260475|work= Irish Times|access-date= 20 October 2017}}

ESB Group confirmed that more than 360,000 customers were without power in the wake of the storm.{{Cite news|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/power-outages-esb-2-3648482-Oct2017/| title=Storm Ophelia: 360,000 customers without electricity| publisher=thejournal.ie}}{{cite news|last1=Samenow|first1=Jason|title=Former Hurricane Ophelia rocks Ireland with 100-mph wind gusts|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/10/16/former-hurricane-ophelia-rocks-ireland-with-100-mph-wind-gusts/|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=16 October 2017}} Two people, a man in Dundalk and a woman in Aglish, County Waterford, were killed when trees fell on their cars.{{Cite news|url=https://www.buzz.ie/news/breaking-car-hit-tree-dundalk-257981|title=BREAKING: Man passes away after car hit by tree in Dundalk {{!}} Buzz.ie|last=Feeney|first=Oisin|work=Buzz.ie|access-date=16 October 2017|archive-date=1 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801190710/https://www.buzz.ie/news/breaking-car-hit-tree-dundalk-257981|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|url=https://liveblog.irishtimes.com/2936176a2b/Hurricane-Ophelia/|title=Irish Times Live Blog|publisher=Irish Times|date=16 October 2017|access-date=16 October 2017|archive-date=28 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228131219/https://liveblog.irishtimes.com/2936176a2b/Hurricane-Ophelia/|url-status=dead}} In County Tipperary, another fatality occurred when a man was clearing a fallen tree with a chainsaw.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/TodayFMNews/status/919924449465503750/photo/1|title=Second fatality from Ophelia|last=News|first=Today FM|date=16 October 2017|website=@TodayFMNews|language=en|access-date=16 October 2017}} Two men died in separate incidents after suffering fatal injuries while carrying out repairs to damage caused by Ophelia and Storm Brian. In Cork, a man died after he fell while working on a shed roof, and in County Wicklow another man died after falling from a ladder while carrying out repairs to his farm shed.{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/hurricane-ophelia/storm-ophelia-aftermath-two-men-killed-while-repairing-damage-at-home-named-locally-36251843.html|title=Storm Ophelia aftermath: Two men killed while repairing damage at home named locally - Independent.ie|work=Independent.ie|access-date=2017-10-25}} Initially, it was estimated that Ophelia would cause €1.5 billion (US$1.8 billion) worth of losses in Ireland, mostly due to the shutdown of economic activities on the day of its passage.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/hurricane-ophelia/hurricane-ophelia-could-cause-15bn-in-damage-expert-analyst-36231210.html|title=Hurricane Ophelia could cause €1.5bn in damage - expert analyst|author=Robin Schiller|publisher=Irish Independent|date=16 October 2017|access-date=17 October 2017}} However, as of 24 October, insurance claims across the country just reached €50 million (US$59 million), much less than the initial estimation of damage.{{cite news|last1=Keena|first1=Colm|last2=Burke-Kennedy|first2=Eoin|publisher=Irish Times|date=22 November 2017|access-date=27 November 2017|title=Rain and floods bring road closures and disruption|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/rain-and-floods-bring-road-closures-and-disruption-1.3301535}} Total damage across the country stood at €68.7 million (US$81.1 million).{{cite news|last=Towey|first=Niamh|publisher=Irish Times|date=14 October 2018|access-date=27 October 2018|title=Storm Ophelia caused almost €70m worth of damage|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/storm-ophelia-caused-almost-70m-worth-of-damage-1.3661365}}

File:Orange sun in Gloucestershire 16 October 2017.jpg

The Met Office in the United Kingdom issued the first severe weather warnings for Ophelia on 12 October, referring to the hurricane as "ex-Ophelia" in the context of the 2017–18 UK and Ireland windstorm season.{{cite web|url=https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/warnings#?date=2017-10-16|title=Weather warnings|website=Met Office|date=27 May 2023 }} The severe weather warning initially issued on 12 October was a yellow weather warning for wind, covering Northern Ireland, western England, Wales, and southern and western Scotland, valid between 12:00 and 23:55 BST on 15 October. The weather warning impact matrix warned of relatively severe impacts anticipated, although with a low level of certainty so far in advance preventing the issuance of amber weather warnings initially. Subsequently, on 13 October, a yellow severe weather warning for wind was issued for Northern Ireland, southern Scotland, western England and Wales, valid between 00:05 and 15:00 BST on 17 October. The weather warning for wind in Northern Ireland on 15 October was upgraded to an amber.

The arrival of Ophelia brought Saharan dust to parts of the United Kingdom, giving the sky an orange or yellow-sepia appearance, and the sun a red or orange appearance.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-41635906|date=16 October 2017|title=Red sun phenomenon 'caused by Hurricane Ophelia'|website=BBC News}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rmets.org/ex-hurricane-ophelia-and-red-sun|date=17 October 2017|title=Ex-hurricane Ophelia and the red sun|website=Royal Meteorological Society|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817055909/https://www.rmets.org/ex-hurricane-ophelia-and-red-sun|archive-date=17 August 2018}} A strange 'burning' smell was also reported across Devon, also attributed to the dust, and smoke from forest fires in Portugal and Spain.{{cite web|url=http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/local-news/sky-strange-you-can-smell-632067|date=16 October 2017|title=This is why the sky is strange and you can smell burning in Devon and Cornwall|website=Plymouth Herald}} Winds up to {{convert|115|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} were observed in Orlock Head, County Down, at the height of the storm. Approximately 50,000 households lost power in Northern Ireland. Insurance claims from Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland are estimated to reach £5–10 million (US$6.6–13.3 million).{{cite news|author=Rachel Martin|publisher=AgriLand|date=20 October 2017|access-date=20 October 2017|title=Ophelia: NI and GB damage estimated to cost up to £10m|url=https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/ophelia-ni-and-british-damage-estimated-to-cost-up-to-10m/}}

In Tallinn, Estonia, black rain fell because Ophelia brought smoke and the soot of fires to Estonia from Portugal, as well as dust from the Sahara Desert, Report informs citing the Estonian media. "We looked at photos from satellites and the Finnish weather service confirmed that the smoke and soot of the fires in Portugal and partly the dust from the Sahara reached us," meteorologist Taimi Paljak said.{{cite web|url=https://report.az/en/interesting/black-rain-observed-in-tallinn-due-to-hurricane-ophelia|title=Black rain observed in Tallinn due to hurricane Ophelia|website=Report News Agency|date= 26 October 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.postimees.ee/4279395/galerii-torm-ophelia-kandis-koos-sahara-tolmuga-eestisse-pimeduse|title=Galerii: torm Ophelia kandis koos Sahara tolmuga Eestisse pimeduse|last=Kungla|first=Elisabeth|website=postimees.ee|date=26 October 2017|language=et}}

Climate scientist Reindert Haarsma of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute said that climate change is likely to cause Europe to see more hurricanes like Ophelia, as the oceans get warmer, although they were still comparing their model's results (previously reported in 2013) with those from other climate centres.{{cite web|url= https://www.rte.ie/eile/brainstorm/2017/1016/912655-the-future-will-bring-more-hurricanes-to-europe/ |title=The future will bring more hurricanes to Europe |author=Reindert Haarsma |publisher=RTE|date=16 October 2017|access-date=20 October 2017 |quote=We're likely to see more hurricanes like Ophelia in the coming years as the earth's climate warms. ... These results are based on the simulations of a single model, and to test their robustness we are now comparing our results with those of other similar simulations done in other climate centres. However, the implications remain clear: Europe will see more hurricanes as a result of climate change.

by ... Reindert Haarsma, Senior Scientist, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the [https://theconversation.com/the-future-will-bring-hurricanes-to-europe-16339 original article].}} Original article's title and date: The future will bring hurricanes to Europe, July 28, 2013 But UCD Professors Ray Bates and Ray McGrath argued that "insofar as the influence of the sea surface temperature is concerned, the exceptional strength of Storm Ophelia was due to natural variability" rather than global warming.{{cite web|url= https://www.ria.ie/news/climate-change-and-environmental-sciences-committee/what-caused-storm-ophelia |title=What Caused Storm Ophelia? |author1= Ray Bates |author2= Ray McGrath |publisher=Royal Irish Academy|date=25 October 2017|access-date=9 November 2017 |quote=The increase in the global-mean values in the period from the 1940s to the present, which is the period when the effect of greenhouse gases due to human activities has been most significant, amounts to about 0.4°C. This is only a tenth of the naturally occurring variation in sea surface temperature seen in the Azores-to-Ireland region in the 3 months prior to Storm Ophelia. This indicates that, insofar as the influence of the sea surface temperature is concerned, the exceptional strength of Storm Ophelia was due to natural variability.}}

{{portal|Tropical cyclones}}

{{commons category|Hurricane Ophelia (2017)}}

• Weather of 2017
• Tropical cyclones in 2017
• Other tropical cyclones named Ophelia
• List of Azores hurricanes
• Tropical cyclone effects in Europe – Other former tropical storms that have affected Europe in the past
• Hurricane Debbie (1961) – caused severe impacts in Europe as a powerful extratropical cyclone
• Great Storm of 1987 – a deadly and destructive extratropical cyclone that impacted the United Kingdom exactly 30 years beforehand.
• Hurricane Lili (1996) – hurricane which struck the United Kingdom and Ireland as an extratropical storm, causing over £150,000,000 of damage and resulted in the loss of six lives in the UK.
• Hurricane Vince (2005) – easternmost Atlantic hurricane on record that made an extremely rare landfall on the Iberian Peninsula as a tropical depression
• Tropical Storm Grace (2009) – is considered the north-easternmost tropical cyclone to form in the North Atlantic basin.
• Cyclone Tini (2014) – Also known as Storm Darwin, a previous strong windstorm which affected Ireland.
• Hurricane Leslie (2018) – A long-lived hurricane that also impacted the Iberian Peninsula
• Hurricane Lorenzo (2019) – another rare East Atlantic major hurricane that likewise affected the Azores and the British Isles
• Hurricane Pablo (2019) – Another system that attained hurricane status in the northeastern Atlantic.

{{reflist|group=nb}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• The National Hurricane Center (NHC)'s [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2017/OPHELIA.shtml advisory archive on Hurricane Ophelia]
• Met Éireann: [https://www.met.ie/cms/assets/uploads/2018/10/Ophelia-1.pdf An Analysis of Storm Ophelia]
• German met office [http://www.met.fu-berlin.de/de/wetter/maps/Prognose_20171015.gif Weather map showing Ophelia isobars over Ireland] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801195019/http://www.met.fu-berlin.de/de/wetter/maps/Prognose_20171015.gif |date=1 August 2020 }}
• [http://erccportal.jrc.ec.europa.eu/getdailymap/docId/2274 European Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) Echo daily map for Ophelia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208174856/http://erccportal.jrc.ec.europa.eu/getdailymap/docId/2274 |date=8 December 2017 }}

{{2017 Atlantic hurricane season buttons}}

{{Category 3 Atlantic hurricanes}}

{{European windstorms}}

{{UK and Ireland windstorm seasons}}

{{Weather events in Ireland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ophelia (2017)}}

Category:2017 Atlantic hurricane season

Category:2017 disasters in the United Kingdom

Category:Category 3 Atlantic hurricanes

Category:Hurricanes in the Azores

Category:Hurricanes in Europe

Category:October 2017 in the United Kingdom

Category:European windstorms

Ophelia

Category:2017 disasters in Ireland

Category:Weather events in Ireland