On October 6, a circulation developed at the end of a cold front in the northeast Atlantic, with a low pressure area developing within the circulation on the same day.

While the low drifted slowly to the northeast, it began to lose its frontal system and acquire subtropical characteristics by October 7.

On the next day, the storm encountered stronger wind shear, removing some of its convection, and slightly weakening the system; however, the storm eventually grew better organized and developed more convection around its low pressure center later in the day.

Early on October 9, the system fully transitioned into a tropical cyclone, prompting the NHC to begin issuing advisories on Tropical Depression Seventeen. The tropical depression continued to strengthen, becoming Tropical Storm Ophelia later that day. Ophelia continued to strengthen due to low wind shear and on October 11, the National Hurricane Center upgraded it to a hurricane. Ophelia is the tenth consecutive storm this season to reach hurricane strength, which ties a record set in

and equaled in

and

. H

owever, because of the limited technology available at that time, the database may have missed a few stray tropical storms and depressions. Thus, Ophelia made 2017 the only season in the satellite era that saw ten consecutive hurricanes. Ophelia became a Category 2 hurricane on October 12 at 5:00 PM AST (21:00 UTC)

Hurricane Ophelia 2017 - Effers in Ireland sea and Scotland