THE hurricane bearing down on Ireland "restrenghtened" ahead of expected landfall on Thursday.
Northern Ireland Weather & Flood Advisory Service (NIWFAS) last night branded Hurricane Lorenzo as "the strongest storm ever recorded in this part of the ocean".
It had dipped down to a Category 3 hurricane before climbing to Category 5 - "the highest classification".
NIWFAS described it as "an unprecedented storm".
It feel back again to a Category 4 yesterday, but people have been warned by the Met Office to be prepared for "gales to storm-force 70mph-plus gusts".
It said: "Big waves and heavy rain are likely, with the west most likely to be affected.
"Before then, five or six inches' rain will fall between Saturday and Tuesday in the wettest places. It's clear enough for flooding concerns."
