Category four FIONA hurricane threat to Bermuda.
From west to east:
Category four hurricane FIONA is now 625 miles south-sou’west of Bermuda headed north-nor’west at 10 knots and looking to pass close to Bermuda late tomorrow night. Currently producing winds touching 140 knots with a tropical storm windfield of 165 miles, FIONA has an HSI rating of 30 out of a possible 50 points (13 size, 17 intensity). Unfortunately, conditions ahead are favourable for additional deepening to reach peak almost at the time of closest approach to Bermuda with winds of 150 knots, a hurricane force windfield radius of 45 miles and a tropical storm force wind radius of 175 miles. This is likely to have an HSI rating of 32 (15 for size and 17 for intensity). With high seas being reported, a strong storm surge as well as destructive wind speeds and torrential rain, a nasty glancing blow over Bermuda is almost inevitable. After impacting Bermuda, FIONA will accelerate to the north with a predicted landfall across eastern Nova Scotia on Saturday morning. Any significant shift in the forecast track to the west could bring wind gusts to hurricane force over Halifax. After pushing across eastern Nova Scotia, Fiona will maintain a fast northerly course and be located just west of Newfoundland Saturday evening, still with hurricane force winds.
Disturbance Thirty Two is now 100 miles east of Trinidad headed west-nor’west at 12 knots facing development green lights ahead. This is already fanning out squalls across the islands of the southeast Caribbean which may produce wind gusts to tropical storm strength although the disturbance has not developed a circulation centre. After passing Trinidad tonight, this will continue into the Caribbean where development prospects are favourable for it to become a tropical depression or a tropical storm as early as Friday, followed by continued strengthening into a hurricane over the northwest Caribbean over the weekend. By next week, steering currents across the Gulf of Mexico would indicate a potential track toward the north-eastern Gulf and possibly into Florida. This is highly speculative as yet but will need a careful watch. At present, the western Gulf of Mexico does not seem to be under threat.
Maverick tropical storm GASTON is 550 miles west of the Azores producing winds touching 70 knots. This is probably at peak now, likely to dissipate quickly and only bothering fish and sailors.
Disturbance Thirty Four has piped up 500 miles south-west of the Cape Verde Islands moving to the west at 5 knots and is expected to move very slowly in a west to west-nor’westerly direction across the tropical Atlantic over the next few days. Development prospects ahead are marginally favourable.
Stand by for hurricane force winds and deteriorating conditions across Bermuda.