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Britain's strongest hurricane for 21 years may hit on ‘Mayhem Monday’ - with 500-mile wide Hurricane Ophelia’s 90mph gusts and huge waves on the 30th anniversary of 1987’s Great Storm.

And this time, even weatherman Michael Fish – blamed for missing the Great Storm – now says there is a hurricane on the way.

But Ophelia is also bringing tomorrow's hottest October 15 since records began 176 years ago – triggering an autumn beach rush with 24C Britain hotter than Bondi Beach.

The 500 mile-wide Hurricane Ophelia is spinning north from the Azores.

Winds that will cause blackouts, damage to properties and travel chaos on roads, rail, flights and ferries are due to come with it.

The Met Office warns of 80mph wind gusts on Monday in coastal areas in the West and 55-65mph inland in the West, and on Tuesday gusts to 70mph inland in the North.

(Image: Getty)

A dramatic wxcharts forecast map showed Ophelia having 90mph wind gusts brushing Northern Ireland, 65-74mph hurricane-force in the North-West and a gale-force 40-50mph in the Midlands and South-West.

“Computer models show the risk of gusts exceeding 80mph,” said The Weather Outlook forecaster Brian Gaze.

Also 44ft waves are forecast just off the south coast of Ireland, with 34ft waves on Ireland’s south coast and 22ft waves on Cornwall’s coast, magicseaweed.com data showed.

The Environment Agency said: “Coastal or tidal flooding is possible for parts of the South-West on Monday and Tuesday.

"Wave overtopping could lead to land, roads and coastal properties flooding and there could be travel disruption.”

(Image: Twitter/wxcharts)

The RAC warned of road chaos. RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “We’re planning for the worst.

“It looks like ‘Mayhem Monday.’ With very strong gusts forecast, motorists should expect trees and debris on roads and wind buffeting vehicles. Take extra care.”

The Met Office said Ophelia’s 80mph gusts are forecast to make it Britain’s strongest ex-tropical storm since September 2011’s Hurricane Katia, which had 81mph low-level gusts and caused one death and widespread travel chaos.

Gusts over 81mph would make Ophelia Britain’s strongest ex-hurricane since Hurricane Lili’s 92mph gusts in 1996, said AccuWeather, the world’s second biggest commercial forecaster.

The Met Office’s data also indicates gusts over 81mph would make Ophelia Britain’s strongest ex-hurricane for 21 years, although Met Office weathermen were checking records to confirm this.

Even ex-BBC weatherman Fish – blamed for missing Britain’s worst storm for 300 years in 1987 - – now says there is a hurricane on the way.

(Image: Universal News (Europe))

Hours before 1987’s Great Storm, Fish famously announced: “Apparently a lady rang the BBC and said she heard a was hurricane on the way. Well, don’t worry, there isn’t.”

That night, 18 people were killed and 15 million trees uprooted as 115mph winds caused more than £1billion damage across southern England.

Fish, 73, who now works for commercial forecaster Netweather, said: “I had a little problem 30 years ago. I said we don’t have hurricanes in Britain. But now we have Ophelia heading our way.

“Enjoy the weekend before the trouble starts. It looks nasty.”

Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said: “Ophelia will track up west side of Ireland and Scotland.

“Around 80mph will be the top figure for gusts, strongest in the West of the UK on Monday and northern England and southern Scotland on Tuesday. It will be blustery for most parts.

“Travel disruption is expected from trees coming down. Allow extra time for journeys and be careful on coasts.”

(Image: Twitter/wxcharts)

Met Office forecaster Grahame Madge said: “Ophelia is forecast to be the strongest ex-tropical system to affect the UK since Katia in 2011, in terms of wind gust speeds.

“Before Katia, Lili in 1996 had 92mph gusts in the Mumbles, south Wales.”

But Ophelia is also bringing tomorrow’s ‘tropical’ hottest October 15 since records began 176 years ago – triggering an autumn beach rush with 24C (75F) Britain hotter than Bondi Beach.

Ophelia is pushing hot air north from Spain.

The Met Office forecast sunny spells with today's 22C highs climbing to 24C on Sunday and 25C on Monday. Britain is hotter than 18C Bondi Beach, Sydney.

A temperature over the 22.8C on October 15, 1908, at Geldeston, Norfolk, would make tomorrow Britain’s hottest October 15 since records began 176 years ago in 1841, date temperature records used to compile Met Office records show.

Thousands will dash to beaches including Brighton, Bournemouth and Great Yarmouth to lap up the autumn sizzle.

Daytrippers will clog roads, with traffic jams due on coastal routes including the A23 to Brighton, A31 to Dorset and M55 to Blackpool.

A late BBQ rush sees Tesco this weekend expected to sell 200,000 packets of sausages, 100,000 punnets of strawberries and more than a million bottles of beer as Brits make the most of the heat.

Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said: “Temperatures are well above the average of 11-15C, at up to 24C on Sunday and 25C on Monday, warmest in the East and South.”

Channel 4 weatherman Liam Dutton said: “Tropical air is bringing summer-like warmth.”

Worst storms ever to hit Britain

September 12 & 13, 2011: Hurricane Katia kills one as winds up to 81mph and giant waves cause transport chaos and topple building roofs and trees

October 28 & 29, 1996: Hurricane Lili kills five people as winds of up to 90mph cause £150million of damage

October 15-16, 1987: Southern England’s ‘Great Storm‘ kills 18 people as 115mph winds uproot 15million trees

January 31 & February 1, 1953: Huge winds and spring tides cause storm surge along east coast. More than 300 die, including 133 on Princess Victoria ferry near Belfast.

October 14, 1881: ‘ Black Friday ’ storm hits Berwickshire, Scotland, as almost 200 fishermen drown

November 26, 1703: Hurricane tears across East Anglia, obliterating villages and killing between 8,000 and 15,000. Known as worst storm in British history