They had not thought it was feasible for hurricanes to head north so near the coast of Europe. As it was, the cold sea south of Ireland took the sting out of the 15th named storm of a busy Atlantic hurricane season. Weatherwatch: The ups and downs of North Atlantic storms Read moreAnd Ophelia may be the shape of things to come. To form, tropical storms need sea temperatures to be at least 26C; they usually grow in strength until they make landfall or head over cooler seas. Climate change means 26C “tropical seas” are now extending further north.

Source: The Guardian October 19, 2017 20:26 UTC