HURRICANE JOAQUIN IS currently swirling in the Atlantic, located north of Bermuda.

However, there has been speculation this week that it could be coming our way this weekend.

Source: National Hurricane Centre

So is it going to hit our shores?

The short answer is no one really knows.

Hurricane Joaquin is packing 140 kilometre-per-hour winds, but it has weakened to a Cateogory One storm.

Still though, Ireland is hardly used to something like this hitting our shores, so what should we be prepared for?

Met Éireann says there is a “a good deal of uncertainty” associated with the outlook period of this week’s forecast. Ex-hurricane Joaquin is currently making its way eastwards towards Europe, but where it is going to end up can only be determined in the course of the next few days.

Spanish flamenco dancer Joaquin Cortes* (*get it? No? We'll get our coats) Source: PA WIRE

Joaquin keeps changing course

The national forecaster told TheJournal.ie this morning that the forecasting computer models are trying to keep up with the storm as it’s “struggling to make up its mind” as to where it wants to go.

It said there is multiple data from different systems predicting different outcomes. Some finding it could be heading for the west coast of Ireland while others predict it could head south towards Spain or France.

Met Éireann, the Met Office in the UK, as well as France and Spain are all keeping a close eye on it.

While the national forecaster said where it is going to hit is not pinned down yet, if it does come our way it is going to bring a lot of wet and windy weather.

However, Met Éireann said it will not be a hurricane and will have reduced in strength to just a winter storm.

Early predictions

Current indications suggest Friday will be mainly dry for much of the country, although cloud with rain and drizzle in parts of the west and southwest are possible. Temperatures on Friday will be between 13 and 15 degrees and winds are expected to be light to moderate southeasterly, possibly increasing fresh Friday night if the centre of the storm approaches.

(Maybe)

There is currently too much uncertainty associated with the track of the storm to make definitive statements regarding the weekend but the possibility of a “windy episode” on Saturday and Sunday can not be ruled out at this point, said Met Éireann.

More will be known about where Joaquin is headed from its location on Friday, said Met Éireann.