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Go to the Bermuda news section for snippets of new from BermudaFlorence Set to Hit
Bermuda was today bracing itself for the worst as Hurricane Florence veered west, exposing its fiercest side to the Island.
Bermuda Weather Service Director Mark Guishard said the hurricane was set to reach Category Two status after midnight tonight with winds of around 100 mph.
At 6 p.m. today, the Bermuda Weather Service was predicting that the storm's closest point of approach would be 44 nautical miles to the west at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
South Shore beaches had already started to take a severe pounding this morning as wind speeds and sea surges continued to rise. The Causeway was closed at around 7 p.m. as Government officials took no chances after four people were killed in Hurricane Fabian in 2003.
Mr. Guishard told The Royal Gazette: "We are in greater danger than if the storm goes to the east but the track right now is taking it far enough to the west that is looking less dangerous than it was late yesterday. But he warned: "This could all change." He said the South Shore will get the worst wave action. The storm surge could rise between six and eight feet with the Great Sound and Hamilton Harbour areas under threat from flooding. Asked about the storm's switch from east to west weather experts said it still posed a danger to all areas of the Island. It could cause an awful lot of damage," warned Weather Service meteorologist Kimberly Zuill. "Everyone should be prepared, stay indoors and be safe."
Waves of up to 40 feet were expected outside the reefs. Bermuda Weather Service said it had received a report that the beach at The Reefs resort had already been washed away this morning.
At 6 p.m. today Florence was 169 nautical miles south of the Island. She was packing maximum sustained winds of 80 knots gusting to 100 knots and moving north at 11 knots. Tornado warnings were issued for tonight and tomorrow. Weather experts said the closest Florence would get to Bermuda would be 10 a.m. tomorrow (Monday), when her centre would be 44 nautical miles to the west-northwest of the Island.
The northeastern part of Florence is packing the maximum winds - and that's the section that had already started to to hit Bermuda. The size of the system was causing serious concerns, with its diameter sprawling 40 nautical miles from the centre. "The system is so big it's going to impact the entire Island," said Ms Zuill. "We are already getting gusts of 34 knots at Commissioner's Point (Dockyard) and the winds will steadily increase this afternoon and overnight. "In the last few hours we have started to see a decrease in visibility. It's getting quite hazy because of the sea salt that's being suspended from the system to our south." She added: "We will receive sustained winds of 50 knots in the early hours of Monday morning and then from about 9 a.m. we are going to get hurricane winds of 64 knots or greater until about 2 p.m. in the afternoon." She said that winds of 50 knots were predicted between 2 and 10 p.m. before lesser winds of 34 knots arrived and better weather should come on Tuesday as Florence raced from the Island.
Ms Zuill said she thought the Island was prepared for the hurricane, with the weekend giving people time to prepare, stock up on emergency supplies and batten down the hatches. "People should just stay indoors and be safe," she added. Asked to compare Florence to Fabian, Ms Zuill said it was difficult to compare weather systems. "Fabian was established before it hit us. This has just increased to hurricane strength overnight; it will be passing by as a marginal Category Two, whereas Fabian was a strong Category Two/Three. "Fabian had been a very strong system before it got to us and was starting to decrease in intensity. Florence is increasing in strength. It could cause an awful lot of damage."
At a Saturday press conference, Minister of Labour Home Affairs and Public Safety Derrick Burgess warned of the flooding risk. Mr. Burgess said: "Residents in low lying areas and who live along the water should be prepared for storm surge flooding and we are asking that these persons make the necessary preparations," said Mr. Burgess.
The shelter at CedarBridge Academy in Devonshire opened at noon today. However it holds just 30 beds. Asked if this would be enough Government spokeswoman Beverle Lottimore said: "Traditionally people stay at home with their family members - the shelters are rarely used."
Belco warned that due to the sustained winds there may be prolonged periods of power outages throughout the Island. It emerged on Saturday that Premier Alex Scott is on vacation and has been unable to secure transport back to the Island, although Deputy Premier Dr. Ewart Brown said Mr. Scott had wanted to be in Bermuda and is in constant touch.
Acting Police Commissioner Roseanda Young said Bermuda was prepared for Florence with hundreds of staff from Government agencies and the emergency services on standby. "It's astronomical in terms of numbers," she said.
She added that all tourists have been issued with emergency plans by their hotels. Those at low-lying premises will be moved if necessary." All tourists have been given the opportunity to leave. Those still here have chosen to stay," said Mrs. Young. She added that arrangements have been made for tourists to leave the island even after the airport shuts tonight if they wish to. "Private jets and other commercial airlines will be available to assist," she said. British Airways' flight to London was the last flight to leave Bermuda on Saturday night before the closure after American Airlines cancelled its New York and Miami flights today.