Please spare a thought and send some good vibes for the people of Bermuda
as Cat4 Hurricane Gonzalo is about to devastate that island. This is going to be very bad.
The Premier’s statement:
Out of an abundance of caution, the Royal Navy vessel HMS Argyll is heading to Bermuda behind the storm and is available to provide considerable, skilled assistance should we have the need after the hurricane passes Bermuda.
• There are some important advisories of which the public should take note:
• Government schools closed as of 1.30pm today
• The last public buses will leave Somerset and St. George’s at 6pm today
• Ferries will end their service at 7pm
• If your trash has not yet been collected please store it somewhere safe until after the storm
• There is a shelter available from 3pm today at CedarBridge Academy
• All residents in low lying residential areas should strongly consider evacuating their homes for higher ground
• Lastly, the Causeway will close at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.
The decision to close the Causeway is based on the forecasted, deteriorating conditions throughout Friday.
From NOAA
DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
AT 500 PM AST...2100 UTC...THE EYE OF HURRICANE GONZALO WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 27.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 68.2 WEST. GONZALO IS MOVING
TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 9 MPH...15 KM/H. A CONTINUED
NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD MOTION WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS
EXPECTED THROUGH SATURDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF
GONZALO WILL BE NEAR BERMUDA FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND FRIDAY NIGHT.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 145 MPH...230 KM/H...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. GONZALO IS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
HURRICANE WIND SCALE. FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE COMMON IN MAJOR
HURRICANES...AND ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR WITH GONZALO THROUGH TONIGHT.
SLOW WEAKENING IS FORECAST ON FRIDAY...BUT GONZALO IS EXPECTED TO BE
A DANGEROUS HURRICANE WHEN IT MOVES NEAR BERMUDA. STEADY WEAKENING
SHOULD BEGIN BY LATE FRIDAY.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES...75 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 150
MILES...240 KM.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 942 MB...27.82 INCHES.
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
WIND...HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH BERMUDA ON
FRIDAY...WITH TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS BEGINNING FRIDAY MORNING. IT
SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WIND SPEEDS ATOP AND ON THE WINDWARD SIDES OF
HILLY TERRAIN ARE OFTEN UP TO 30 PERCENT STRONGER THAN AT THE
SURFACE...AND IN SOME ELEVATED LOCATIONS CAN BE EVEN GREATER.
STORM SURGE...A DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE IS
EXPECTED TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING IN BERMUDA. NEAR
THE COAST...THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE
WAVES.
RAINFALL...GONZALO IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS
OF 3 TO 6 INCHES OVER BERMUDA.
SURF...LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY GONZALO ARE AFFECTING PORTIONS OF
THE VIRGIN ISLANDS...THE NORTHERN COASTS OF PUERTO RICO AND THE
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC...PORTIONS OF THE BAHAMAS...AND THE EAST COAST
OF THE UNITED STATES FROM NORTH CAROLINA SOUTHWARD. SWELLS WILL
REACH THE REST OF THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES AND BERMUDA
THROUGH FRIDAY. THESE SWELLS ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING
SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS. FOR MORE INFORMATION...PLEASE
CONSULT PRODUCTS FROM YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
= new reply since forum marked as read
just a wishing them well feeling, which I do 
and as Malaise indicates, it is also a way to draw attention to the issue at hand
for Bermuda. And those on located where swells will be kicking up surf on the US East Coast.
