Will Major Hurricane Lorenzo affect the United Kingdom this week?

Hurricane Lorenzo continues to churn over the central Atlantic Ocean and will not threaten land in the next several days; however, that will change this week.

Lorenzo is currently a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 105 mph and is expected to retain its hurricane status into midweek.

A shift in track to the north and then northeast will take this powerful tropical cyclone toward the Azores late Tuesday into Tuesday night.

Some weakening is expected prior to reaching the islands, but Lorenzo will remain a dangerous storm as it tracks near or over Flores Island and Corvo.

Winds in excess of 100 mph (160 km/h) could batter the islands with damaging winds extending eastward into the central Azores.

Gusty winds and rain will affect the eastern Azores, but they will be spared any significant impacts.

Lorenzo is seen churning in the open Atlantic around midday Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (NOAA/GOES-EAST)

NOAA/GOES-EAST

After affecting the Azores, Lorenzo will interact with a non-tropical storm spinning south of Greenland.

This storm will help propel Lorenzo to the northeast but may then pull it northward prior to reaching the United Kingdom.

If Lorenzo is pulled northward, impacts will be limited to a period of rain and some locally gusty winds on Thursday and Friday.

However, if Lorenzo continues toward the northeast, it would strike the United Kingdom with torrential rainfall and damaging winds during the same time period.

These details will become more clear in the coming days, but some impacts from Lorenzo are expected this week regardless of exact track and intensity.