Hurricane Don targets Ireland

 

After meandering around the Atlantic for ages, Don has finally become the first hurricane of the season in the Atlantic. And, it is projected by Carlow Weather to head towards Ireland. Although it is expected to weaken on its approach, it may still dump a good deal of rain on us this week. And, if my hunch is right, because of the extremely warm waters off the west coast this year, it might actually strengthen as it approaches -- they've never seen these conditions before and likely no models would take them into account. 

It will be the third hurricane to come to Ireland, Hurricane Ophelia (cat 3) in 2017, Hurricane Lorenzo (cat 5 at one stage but not when it made landfall) in 2019, and now Don, briefly a hurricane but now back to TS. Watch and wait. 

Meanwhile, there was carnage in the 50th Fastnet Race with many yachts retiring out of a fleet of 450. Several yachts were dismasted including Tapio Lehtinen's Swan which is scheduled to compete soon in the Global Ocean Challenge. Poor Tapio, first a sinking in the GGR and now dismasting in the Fastnet. And he's such a nice man. It was wonderful to meet him at the OCC Awards dinner. We wish him a speedy recovery.