MET EIREANN has issued a stern warning about the potential effect of Hurricane Lorenzo on Ireland.
The hurricane is currently some 3,200km away from the island of Ireland, near to the Azores.
However, the storm’s trajectory remains unclear, with Met Éireann’s Head of Forecasting Evelyn Cusack warning RTE that the next 48 hours will be crucial.
Speaking on Morning Ireland, she said that while they are continuing to “closely monitor” the weather system, the precise path it will take and strength remains “very uncertain”.
Cusack warned Lorenzo would either join a large area of low pressure over Iceland, moving northwest of Ireland as a result and bringing tropical air as a result or it could move more towards the Bay of Biscay culminating in heavy winds and rainfall.
"Either it will join up with the large area of low pressure, the trough around Iceland, and move away to the northwest of Ireland, just bringing up warm tropical air on Thursday,” she said.
“Or it could track more towards the Bay of Biscay, or indeed western Europe, so it's all to play for at this stage.”
Whatever the outcome, Cusack warned the approaching hurricane would most likely bring “very dangerous” shore conditions to bear around the island of Ireland.