Powerful Hurricane Ophelia forms off Azores

14 October 2017: Hurricane Ophelia formed off the Azores islands in the northern Atlantic Ocean on Saturday and was expected pass to the south of the archipelago later in the day before taking aim at the British Isles, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

It said Ophelia, rare for its location and a powerful Category 3 storm with top sustained winds of 114 miles per hour (185 kmh), was the sixth major hurricane of the Atlantic season.

"Ophelia is expected to reach the British Isles as a powerful extra-tropical cyclone with hurricane force winds," he Miami-based hurricane center said. "Dissipation is forecast in about four days after the system moved over these Isles."