Weather Service Issues ‘Tropical Storm Warning’
The Bermuda Weather Service issued a “Tropical Storm Warning” this morning [Oct 1] — an upgrade from the Tropical Storm Watch issued yesterday — and said that Hurricane Sam is “a potential threat to Bermuda.”
The BWS latest advisory said that Sam’s “closest point of approach to Bermuda within 72 hrs [3 days] is forecast to be 187 nm to the ESE, 2 am Sat, Oct 2, 2021. However, this system may move closer to Bermuda after this time period depending upon its track.”
Extract from yesterday’s Stay Ready broadcast with comments from BWS Director Dr Mark Guishard
The BWS forecast states, “A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect and as Hurricane Sam continues to draw closer to the Island we can expect northerly winds to become strong later today then occasionally reach tropical storm force overnight into early Saturday. Increasing seas become very rough with dangerous swells, surf and rip currents. Winds then gradually ease under building high pressure later Saturday, which brings dry and cooler conditions.”
Graphic courtesy of the BWS:
The latest forecast from the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, “At 500 AM AST [0900 UTC], the eye of Hurricane Sam was located near latitude 26.6 North, longitude 61.7 West. Sam is moving toward the north-northwest near 17 mph [28 km/h]. A turn toward the north and north-northeast, at a similar forward speed, is expected later today and tonight, followed by a northeastward motion Saturday night through Monday. On the forecast track, the center of Sam will pass well to the east of Bermuda tonight.
Graphic courtesy of the NHC:
“Maximum sustained winds are near 150 mph [240 km/h] with higher gusts. Sam is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Although fluctuations in intensity are still possible today, weakening is forecast during the next couple of days. However, Sam is expected to remain a major hurricane through at least Saturday night. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles [110 km] from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles [280 km].”
