Storm Leslie TRACKER: Leslie upgraded to HURRICANE — Could downpours reach UK?

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) have been monitoring storm Leslie as it meanders in the Atlantic Ocean. 

Today, the storm has grown in strength — and is now classified as a hurricane.

Leslie is the 12th named weather system of Atlantic hurricane season.

In their latest advisory, the NHC has said that Leslie is still strengthening, despite remaining stationary in the Central Atlantic.  The hurricane is approximately 510 miles east-southeast of Bermuda and has maximum sustained wind speeds of 80mph. 

These wind speeds mean Leslie is categorised as a category one hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Winds Scale.

Hurricane-force winds have been measured extending from the weather system outward up to 35 miles from the centre, whilst tropical-storm-force winds extend outward by 230 miles. 

The NHC detailed dangers to land in their latest advisory: “Large swells generated by Leslie will continue to affect portions of the southeastern coast of the United States, Bermuda, and the Bahamas during the next few days.  “Swells are expected to increase near the coasts of New England and Atlantic Canada by the end of the week.”

Could hurricane conditions reach the UK?

Weather Company spokeswoman Sarah Satya Sammy said that Leslie would remain in the mid-Atlantic for several days before turning towards Europe.

She said: “Presently Leslie remains in a blocking pattern in the mid-Atlantic and is expected to linger in that general vicinity over the next week or so.

“Early indications are that Leslie will transition to extratropical and meander over the open waters of the central Atlantic through next week. “As Leslie approaches Europe, toward the end of next week, it will initially affect Portugal as an extra-tropical low, before taking a more north-ward path, approaching Ireland by that Saturday.

“There is still quite a bit of uncertainty in this forecast.”

Time will tell as to whether the storm system will reach the UK, as some forecasts place Leslie passing south of the country, whilst others predict the storm impacting at the end of this month.

Some experts estimate the low-pressure system could make itself known at the end of October, bringing two weeks of stormy weather.  Should it reach the UK, Leslie will have weakened significantly — but could still bring strong winds and downpours. 

Met Office chief meteorologist Andy Page said earlier today: “Leslie will likely strengthen to a hurricane as it moves over warmer waters with large swells affecting Bermuda and east coast of the United States and the Caribbean.

“It is likely to gradually weaken after this and move eastwards across the North Atlantic

“Some models suggest Leslie will track south of the UK while others suggest it may move close to the UK by the end of next week.”