January Hurricane - Early bird Alex

Traditionally, the Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1st June to 30th November with a grey area in the month before and a week or so after. A hurricane forming in mid January is something of an anomaly, but this is a strong El Nino year, strange things are happening.

From the National Hurricane Centre, part of the American National Weather Service

"It's the first hurricane to form in the month of January since 1938, and the first hurricane to be present in this month since Alice of 1955. (Alice formed in late December 1954 and carried over into January 1955.) Alex's maximum sustained winds are near 85 mph with higher gusts - a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Little change in strength through Friday is forecast."

Alex is currently near to the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal in the mid Atlantic. The Portuguese Meteorological Institute have warnings for heavy rain, large waves and high winds   https://www.ipma.pt/en/index.html

"On the forecast track, the center of Alex will move near or over portions of the Azores Friday morning.

The Azores Meteorological Service has issued a Hurricane Warning for the islands of Faial, Pico, Sao Jorge, Graciosa, and Terceira in the central Azores, and a Tropical Storm Warning for the islands of Sao Miguel and Santa Maria in the eastern Azores.

Tropical-storm-force winds are expected to begin over portions of the Azores tonight. Hurricane conditions are expected to spread over the central Azores by early Friday. Wind speeds atop and on the windward sides of hills and mountains are often up to 30 percent stronger than the near-surface winds indicated in this advisory, and in some elevated locations could be even greater.

Alex is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 3 to 5 inches over the Azores through Friday, with possible isolated maximum amounts of 7 inches. These rains could produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. A dangerous storm surge is expected to produce significant coastal flooding near and to the east of the center of Alex. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves."

http://www.meteoalarm.eu/en_UK/1/0/PT003-Portugal.html

So Alex is currently south of the Azores, well out in the Atlantic, travelling north, past Azores early on Friday, then continuing northwards well out at sea.

More discussion and chat in the forum thread on Hurricane Alex