Hurricane Gonzalo pictured from space as it moved across the Atlantic earlier today.
“If it moves, tie it down” – that’s the advice being given as Derry braces itself for the remains of Hurricane Gonzalo which is set to hit the North West overnight bringing gale-force winds and heavy rain.
Forecasters at the Met Office have issued a yellow warning, predicting winds gusts up to 70 mph.
Gonzalo is rolling in from the Atlantic, where it has caused flooding and widespread damage in Bermuda.
The storm is expected to hit at around midnight tonight when the wet and windy conditions will sweep eastwards across Northern Ireland into Northern England and Scotland.
Gonzalo is no longer a hurricane, having weakened during its journey across the Atlantic, but is still capable of doing damage.
A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “Some uncertainty remains in the track and intensity, but there remains the potential for localised disruption to travel, especially as especially as the strongest winds will coincide with rush hour in places.
“Fallen leaves impeding drainage increases the risk of surface water affecting roads, while some damage to trees is possible, given that many are still in full leaf.”
Gusts exceeding 50 mph are likely inland, with 60 to 70 mph gusts in exposed areas.
Sustained winds will be closer to 25 mph – enough to bring down tree branches and blow over bins and light objects.
At the height of its strength as a Category 4 major hurricane, top wind speeds of 145 mph were recorded in Gonzalo.
Gonzalo formed east of the Caribbean Sea on 12 October, strengthening as it passed through the Leeward Islands.
It largely missed land in its path over the Atlantic but caused damage in Antigua and Saint Martin, where one person died, and affected Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The worst damage was seen in Bermuda, where it made landfall on Saturday at Category 2 strength with winds of up to 110 mph.
Gonzalo formed east of the Caribbean Sea on 12 October, strengthening as it passed through the Leeward Islands.
It largely missed land in its path over the Atlantic but caused damage in Antigua and Saint Martin, where one person died, and affected Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The worst damage was seen in Bermuda, where it made landfall on Saturday at Category 2 strength with winds of up to 110 mph.
A cloudy much milder day with outbreaks of rain is forecast for Wednesday. Staying fairly cloudy with patchy rain on Thursday but with a few bright intervals. Bright with showers on Friday.
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