Hurricane Nicole is headed toward Bermuda. Officials in the British territory have told residents to be wary of the Category 4 storm.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/M.Tatem
Advertisement
Bermuda hunkered down early Thursday as Hurricane Nicole rapidly strengthened into a major Category 4 storm and took aim at the tiny island in the Atlantic Ocean, far off the southeastern coast of the United States. Late Wednesday, the center of Nicole approached Bermuda from the south-southwest with wind speeds of up to 215 kilometers per hour (130 mph), according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).
The NHC called Nicole an "extremely dangerous" storm and urged islanders to rush preparations for its powerful rain and winds. "On the forecast track, the core of Nicole will pass over or near Bermuda on Thursday," the NHC reported in a 0300 UTC update.
Bermuda's Royal Gazette newspaper quoted a weather expert who said low-lying areas of the island would likely experience flooding. Authorities on the island have begun preparing for the impending arrival of the storm, with businesses and schools expected to stay shut until Friday.
"Nicole is a serious threat to Bermuda, and we cannot afford to have complacency with this storm," National Security Minister Jeff Baron told the Royal Gazette. "I cannot emphasize enough the critical importance of residents' securing their homes and completing their preparations well in advance of this storm," he said.
'Hope and pray'
Authorities ordered schools and government offices closed and asked people to remain indoors. Nevertheless, on Wednesday hundreds rushed to shops and gas stations for last-minute preparations as rain and wind began to batter Bermuda, which has sturdy infrastructure after experiencing its share of storms.
"I believe we are generally ready for it," Premier Michael Dunkley said. "Now we just have to hope and pray for the best."
By Thursday, most businesses had shuttered for the storm. Several carriers have canceled flights to Bermuda, as have cruise lines. Hotels have reported an uptick in bookings as people seek shelters with power.
Nicole has also kicked up heavy surf in islands south of Bermuda, including Puerto Rico, where authorities continue to look for a surfer who disappeared on Tuesday.
mkg/kl (Reuters, AFP, dpa, AP)
Cyclones, typhoons, hurricanes - the power of devastation
Cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes pack a devastating punch: wherever they go, they leave a trail of destruction. But how do these powerful tropical storms arise?
Image: AFP/D. Sarkar
Social distancing impossible during Cyclone Amphan
Residents along Bangladesh's coast are being moved to safety as one of the strongest cyclones in years strikes the region. Millions of people had to be evacuated from low-lying regions along the Bay of Bengal on May 19. But plans are complicated by the coronavirus precautions. Maintaining social distancing is nearly impossible.
Image: AFP/District Administration of Bhola
Typhoon season amid the COVID-19 pandemic
On May 14, Typhoon Vongfong slammed the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rains, destroying the city of San Policarpo in the eastern province of Samar. At least five people died and more than 91,000 people were forced to leave their homes. Typhoons are not unusual in the Philippines at this time of year. But the COVID-19 outbreak lockdown measures are exacerbating the situation.
Image: AFP/A. Beronio
Three names - one phenomenon
Hurricane, typhoon, and cyclone are actually three names for the same phenomenon. Along the North American coast they are called hurricanes, in East and Southeast Asia they are called typhoons, and near India and Australia they are called cyclones. But despite the different names, they develop in the same way.
Image: Reuters
A cyclone is created
Tropical storms develop over oceans when the water temperature is at least 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit). As the warm water evaporates and condenses, the air around it heats up and drags cooler air upwards, creating powerful winds.
The eye of the storm
The Earth's rotation causes the air stream to move around the eye of the storm, which can be up to 50 kilometers wide. This area is nearly completely free of clouds and wind.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
A storm hits land
When a tropical storm hits a coastline, it becomes weaker due to the lack of warm water. In Australia, "Marcia" was soon downgraded to a category one storm, while "Lam" weakened after striking near Brisbane. Masses of water from the sea often cause the worst damage - as seen here in China after Typhoon Nanmadol in August 2011.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Chaos ensues
Hurricane Sandy was one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded over the Atlantic Ocean. It caused waves of up to 4 meters high, fires, power outages and broken dykes. Sandy arrived with winds at speeds of more than 145 kilometers per hour. Cuba, New York and New Jersey were particularly affected.
Image: Reuters
Destructive vortex
Tornadoes however, are non-tropical whirlwinds that can occur anywhere a storm is brewing. Local temperature differences force warm air upwards and cold air down, and a column of warm air rotates upwards at an increasing velocity. Tornadoes are usually only a maximum of 1 kilometer in diameter.
Fastest storms
As the warm air rises, it forms a funnel, the main characteristic of a tornado. Inside the funnel, the speed of the air can be tremendous - up to 500 kilometers per hour. Tornadoes are the fastest whirlwind type of weather phenomenon.
Image: Fotolia/Daniel Loretto
Trail of destruction
A tornado can leave a trail of destruction several kilometers long. In the US Midwest, tornadoes occur several hundred times a year, as dry, cold air from the north hits damp, warm air from the Gulf of Mexico. It's different in other countries - in Germany, for example, tornadoes occasionally occur along the coast.
