Rare January Hurricane, Nor'easter Form In Atlantic; Could They Hit Berkeley Area?

Hurricane Alex formed in the Atlantic Ocean Thursday.

Yes, that’s right. A hurricane. In January.

The hurricane has winds of 80 mph and a warning has been issued for the Azores islands in the Atlantic Ocean, which are controlled by Portugal, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The Azores are a group of islands located 800 to 900 miles west of Portugal’s mainland.

The chances of the storm hitting New Jersey are unlikely, however. The storm is heading north-northeast at 20 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center

A Nor’easter is also expected to form in the Atlantic and perhaps hit New England, but New Jersey should just get light to heavy rain late Friday and early Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

At 10 p.m. Thursday, meanwhile, Hurricane Alex packed 80-mph winds as it moved 275 miles south the Azores islands, forecasters said.

Alex becomes only the third hurricane that’s ever been recorded in January in the Atlantic Ocean.

It’s also first hurricane to occur in January since Alice of 1955, the center said, although the storm actually formed in December of the previous year.