AlHijjah 23, 1435, Oct 17, 2014, SPA -- Gonzalo neared Bermuda as a huge category-4 hurricane Friday, expected to bring damaging wind and giant storm surge as one of the strongest storms to threaten the Atlantic island, forecasters said. The hurricane was swirling about 300 kilometers south-southwest of the British territory early Friday, with top sustained winds of up to 215 kilometers per hour, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. It was moving to the north-northeast at 24 kph and was expected to pass near or over Bermuda Friday afternoon or evening. Tropical storm-force winds started to hit the island Friday morning, with hurricane-force winds predicted to hit Bermuda in the afternoon and last for at least eight hours. Forecasters said the seas would rise between 11 and 14 meters and would cause significant flooding on the tiny island. "We can expect heavy damage out of swell and surge," Bermuda Weather Service meteorologist Rob Howlett said. He said the eye of Gonzalo was expected to pass within 46 kilometers of the island, close enough to be considered a direct hit because hurricane-force winds extend 95 kilometers from the storm center. Gonzalo is expected to weaken to a category-3 hurricane as it passes Bermuda, but the NHC said "any weakening is probably too late to spare Bermuda, with almost all of the guidance showing the system as a major hurricane as it moves nearby."
