Bermuda under hurricane warning as Fiona approaches

A hurricane warning has now been issued for Bermuda as major hurricane Fiona approaches the island, with conditions set to deteriorate as the storm passes just to the west.

Bermuda had already been under a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch, but with hurricane Fiona closing in on the island fast, the messaging has now been upgraded to a hurricane warning.

A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are anticipated within the warning area, suggesting meteorologists believe Bermuda will see hurricane force winds as Fiona passes by to the west of the island.

The expectation is that Bermuda will not be affected by hurricane Fiona’s strongest winds, or the eyewall, with the centre of the storm staying offshore.

However, the eastern side of a hurricane can often feature some of the strongest winds and with hurricane Fiona having undergone an eyewall replacement, the storms wind-field is now very large and so Bermuda could experience strong tropical storm winds and perhaps hurricane force winds for some hours as Fiona passes by.

You can see the NHC forecast cone for hurricane Fiona below:

Hurricane Fiona remains a large and dangerous major Category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph and higher gusts.

The center of Fiona is expected to pass around 50 to 100 miles to the west of Bermuda tonight.

But with hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 70 miles (110 km) and and tropical-storm-force winds extending outward up to 205 miles from the center, Bermuda will certainly feel the storm as it passes.

It is to be hoped the track stays as far west as possible from the island, as a closer passage could bring far greater impacts to Bermuda.

Bermuda is as well-prepared a location as any, when it comes to hurricanes, not least because of the significant insurance, reinsurance and ILS community on the island.

But we’d urge our friends and contacts to keep watching hurricane Fiona’s approach closely, as any deviation east in the track could bring the hurricanes more damaging winds to the island.

Beyond Bermuda, hurricane Fiona has its eyes set on Atlantic Canada, which could experience a hurricane-force landfall, although Fiona will likely be extra-tropical, or becoming so, at that time.

Some additional impacts from hurricane Fiona are likely there, as the storm comes ashore with forecasted hurricane speed wind gusts and bringing up to 10 inches of rain with it.

Track the 2022 Atlantic tropical storm and hurricane season on our dedicated page and we’ll update you as new information emerges.