BANK HOLIDAY SET TO ESCAPE EFFECTS OF EX-HURRICANE ... BUT IT COULD BE CLOSE

A HURRICANE raging 3,000 miles away is set to disrupt the warm and settled conditions seen in Britain for much of the summer.

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE

By the time the remnants of Hurricane Erin reach Britain, its fury will have abated but the Met Office has said two outcomes remain possible.

Either way, the system is likely to bring much-needed rain to the UK. For those looking for a late summer mini-break, the main question is whether Erin will affect the Bank Holiday weekend.

By yesterday, the hurricane had restrengthened to a Category 4 as it battered Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Thousands of homes were left without power as winds reached up to 130mph.

As Erin trundles across the Atlantic, it's like to dwindle to a tropical storm. By the time the system reaches Britain, it’s forecast to have developed into a deep area of low pressure.

The Met Office said that, from Bank Holiday Monday (August 25), the forecast "becomes more complex" The agency said: "While warmth is likely to persist, the risk of showers and wind increases, and the exact outcome will depend on Erin’s trajectory and its interaction with the jet stream.

"One scenario shows a deep area of low pressure to the west, bringing wet and windy conditions similar to Storm Floris.