Public schools closed as Hurricane Lee nears Bermuda
Published:Wednesday | September 13, 2023 | 3:17 PM
HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – The Bermuda government on Wednesday announced the closure of public schools over the next two days, as the British Overseas Territory as the center of Hurricane Lee is due to pass west of the island and then approach the coast of New England or Atlantic Canada Friday and Saturday.
Acting Minister of National Security, Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, said that while the schools will be closed, government services will operate as normal on Thursday and that the Causeway will remain open.
“Out of abundance of caution” ferry services will be suspended tomorrow with an assessment made on Friday,” Burch said as he gave an update on Wednesday afternoon, regarding the storm.
He said buses will run to normal schedules on Thursday until 5.30 p.m. (Bermuda time) when operations will be suspended with an assessment of routes carried out on Friday morning.
Flights at LF Wade International Airport will be suspended from tomorrow with exception of the BA flights to and from the island which are expected to proceed as normal.
The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) in its latest weather bulletin said that Hurricane Lee is about 420 miles south, south west of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 110 mils per hour (mph).
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Bermuda and NHC said that Hurricane Lee is moving toward the north-northwest near nine mph.
“A turn towards the north is expected by tonight, followed by an increase in speed on Thursday and Friday. On the forecast track, the center of Lee will pass west of Bermuda Thursday and Thursday night and then approach the coast of New England or Atlantic Canada Friday and Saturday.” the NHC said.
It said while there will be a slow weakening of the hurricane during the next few days, the hurricane is likely to remain a large and dangerous hurricane into the weekend.
The NHC said that swells generated by Lee are affecting portions of the Lesser Antilles, the British and US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, and Bermuda.
“These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” it said.
Follow The Gleaner on X and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.