Posted on 09/04/2003 12:25:00 PM PDT by cogitator
Bermuda Braces for Powerful Hurricane Fabian Thu September 4, 2003 12:17 PM ET By Stephen Breen
HAMILTON, Bermuda (Reuters) - Bermudians battened down and cruise ships scrambled out to sea on Thursday as powerful Hurricane Fabian headed toward the mid-Atlantic island with 120 mph winds.
Forecasters also raised storm warnings for parts of Florida as a tropical weather system that could become Tropical Storm Henri headed for the Sunshine State.
In Bermuda, residents hit the hardware stores, supermarkets and gas stations to stock up for what emergency officials said could be the strongest hurricane ever to hit the British colony of 62,000 people. Fabian was expected to be near Bermuda by Friday evening.
Emergency managers told residents on the exposed south shore to abandon or board up their homes against possible 30-foot waves.
There was a hurricane warning in effect for Bermuda, a thriving offshore financial center and tourist playground. Residents were told to expect hurricane conditions within 24 hours. Local officials said the eye of the hurricane, around which the strongest winds are felt, could pass within 30 miles of the island.
"It looks like the center will be very near or possibly directly over the island," said Michelle Mainelli, a meteorologist at the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Long lines were reported at supermarkets, where bottled water, food and batteries were flying off the shelves. Gas stations were crammed with motorists fueling their cars.
"It's a madhouse. There were people lined up outside the store half an hour before we opened this morning waiting to stock up on supplies," said Susan Wilson, president of Masters Hardware in the capital, Hamilton.
Several cruise ships expected to stay in port at Hamilton until Friday headed out early to outrun the storm.
Emergency managers were to meet later on Thursday to decide whether to close schools and public transportation. Residents were urged to take in garden furniture and surfers and swimmers were cautioned to stay out of the water.
At 11 a.m. EDT, the center of Hurricane Fabian was 500 miles south of Bermuda at latitude 25.2 north and longitude 64 west, the hurricane center said. The storm was moving north-northwest at 12 mph and could pass very close to Bermuda by Friday evening, forecasters said. Forecasters said there was a chance the storm could weaken slightly as it drew closer to Bermuda, but residents should be prepared for a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 111-130 mph.
Such storms usually carry storm tides of 9-12 feet above normal, can do structural damage to small residences and may destroy small coastal buildings.
"We're urging all residents and tourists to finish their hurricane preparations as soon as possible," Mainelli said.
Parts of Florida's Gulf Coast were under a tropical storm warning as the swirling mass of thunderstorms that could become Henri headed east. The warning area stretched from Englewood to Indian Pass.
At 11 a.m. EDT, it was centered 175 miles southwest of Apalachicola, at latitude 27.9 north and longitude 87.1 west. It was drifting northeast and was expected to pick up speed. Maximum winds were near 35 mph.
Or to the west for the thrill-seeking kite flyers...
The island is mostly rather low in elevation - there's a good sized hill across the Sound from Hamilton but if it's more than about 200 feet high I would be really surprised. Hamilton will be sheltered to some extent by that hill to the south but it's very low lying. Many other places are going to be completely exposed.
My parents spend a lot of time at St. Barts in the French Antilles, and that island (which is much more mountainous than Bermuda) was really HAMMERED several years ago. Basically swept bare. I do hope this storm veers away from Bermuda at the last minute.
Bermuda has suffered direct hits before -- most famously the 1609 blow giving rise to the setting of Shakespeare's The Tempest . . . but they haven't had a bad one since Emily in 1987, and there's been a lot of development since then.
Yessir, what a man.
Forecasters worried the storm could produce powerful tornadoes and winds could exceed 120 mph. Islands could lose power for days or weeks, said Gary Madeiros with the Bermuda Electric Light Company.
The government has opened up schools as evacuation shelters, and urged people to leave 2,000 homes in flood-vulnerable areas. Those living on the exposed South Shore were also urged to leave.
Bartender Tanya Bartel said she was taking Fabian seriously and had duct-taped the windows of her north shore apartment.
"It's going to be close, if not a direct hit," she said. "If you have enough beer, ice, candles and cards to get through the weekend, you should be OK. The big talk is, 'do people have enough beer?'"
At 8 p.m. EDT, Fabian was about 350 miles south of Bermuda.
Bermuda's Public Safety Minister Randy Horton warned residents on Bermuda's south shore to either vacate their homes or board up properties.
Bermuda's building codes specify that homes must be built with walls at least eight inches thick, and be able to withstand 150 mph gusts and sustained winds of 110 mph.
I pray that everyone is safe. One of the best vacation destinations with the nicest people. The paragraph in bold is too funny, sounds like something that would be said by someone in a college fraternity.
Bermuda is the red dot to the North. 
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