A subtropical storm is surprising meteorologists as it forms early in January, almost six months ahead of the typical tropical storm season.
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Hurricane Alex was forecast to have sustained winds of 85-mph with higher gusts.
The hurricane was centred about 490 miles south of Faial Island in the central Azores and was moving north-east.
Local authorities issued a hurricane warning for five islands in the central Azores, which could see flash flooding, mudslides and storm surge, said NHC spokesman Dennis Feltgen.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, but storms do occasionally occur outside of the season. The National Hurricane Center began keeping records in 1851 and in the 165 years since, only four such storms formed in January. If the storm follows the current forecast track, its centre will move near or over parts of the Azores Friday morning, NASA said. It could get warmer; it could get colder.
Alex’s strength is surprising, because tropical storms thrive most over warm waters, something that’s unexpected in the North Atlantic in the middle of winter.
According to the Associated Press, the National Weather Service in the United States announced Alex’s hurricane status on Thursday. The storm was expected to lose tropical characteristics later in the day, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Hurricane Alice in 1954 now holds that title, when it strengthened to 90 miles per hour on January 2nd of that year.
The storm will impact the Azores in the northeastern Atlantic with gale force winds and heavy rain late Thursday into Friday.
The Azores government has advised nurseries to stay closed and told residents to ensure drainage systems are not blocked.
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The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has said the 2015 occurrence of El Nino will be among the three strongest recorded since 1950.
