Bermuda plans for shutdown in face of Category 3 Hurricane Humberto

Hurricane Humberto grew into a powerful Category 3 storm Tuesday evening, and officials on Bermuda made plans for early shutdowns of schools, public transportation and government offices on the British Atlantic territory ahead of the storm’s likely close pass on Wednesday.

National Security Minister Wayne Caines told reporters that schools, government offices and ferries on the island would close at noon Wednesday and bus service would end at 4 p.m.

Officials said tropical storm-force winds were expected to start hitting Bermuda, with hurricane-force gusts, starting about 3 p.m. Wednesday and lasting until about 4 a.m. Thursday. Humberto was predicted to pass just to the north of Bermuda, but a small shift in track could bring the storm over the island itself.

READ MORE: (Sept. 16, 2019) Humberto now Category 1 hurricane, strong rip currents possible for U.S. coast

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Humberto’s maximum sustained winds had strengthened to about 185 kph Tuesday evening and would probably remain a Category 3 hurricane through Thursday. The storm was centred about 655 kilometres west-southwest of Bermuda and moving to the east-northeast at 19 kph.

Bermuda was expected to see rainfall of up to 10 centimetres, with large swells along the coast.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lorena formed off Mexico’s Pacific Coast, and forecasters predicted heavy rains and flooding by Thursday, likely without it reaching hurricane force.

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Lorena had top winds of 85 kph Tuesday evening. It was centred about 315 kilometres south of the resort town of Zihuatanejo and was moving northwest at 24 kph.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for the coast between Zihuatanejo and Cabo Corrientes.

Two other tropical storms, Kiko and Mario, were farther out in the Pacific and posed no threat to land.

Tropical Depression Ten also formed far out in the Atlantic and could become a hurricane Friday as it nears the outermost Caribbean islands.