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Ophelia was the 10th and the final hurricane of the 2017 hurricane season. It formed and moved over the Atlantic, reached its maximum strength of Category 3 near the Azores, and made landfall over Ireland as an extra-tropical storm.
The storm was well tracked and the Met Éireann issued timely warnings, so the casualty numbers were low (three reported deaths). However, there was still significant damage.
There is some indication that the number of hurricanes reaching so far north could increase with the changing climate, therefore, it is important to get acquainted and prepared for such a possibility.
In this case study you can follow Hurricane Ophelia’s life cycle, from tropical cyclone to Cat 3 hurricane, and then the transformation to an extra-tropical cyclone; using satellite images, meteorological parameters, and vertical cross sections.
Following the case study, the user can interact with a simulator. You can try out a forecaster shift and forecast the impact of Ophelia on Ireland.
Who are the case and the simulator for? The case study and the simulator are primarily made for forecasters, but other meteorologists and students can benefit from them.
Check out the case study.