The Latest: Power outages reported as Hurricane Joaquin lashes Bermuda

HAMILTON, Bermuda – The latest on Hurricane Joaquin and the storm’s predicted path. (All times local):

6:20 p.m.

Emergency services have been placed on alert and officials in Bermuda are reporting scattered power outages as Hurricane Joaquin lashes the island with winds and pelting rain.

Residents of the mid-Atlantic British dependency have hunkered down at home after stocking up on gas and batteries as the Category 2 hurricane whipped the mid-Atlantic British territory. All flights to L.F. Wade International Airport were cancelled and ferry service was closed due to rough seas.

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4:20 p.m.

Forecasters say the eye of Hurricane Joaquin is passing just west of Bermuda and tropical storm conditions continue on the island.

By late Sunday afternoon, sustained winds had dropped to 100 mph (155 kph) and forecasters described the storm’s eye as “ragged.” Still, it was expected to bring hurricane conditions and life-threatening storm surge to Bermuda Sunday evening when the eye passes closest to the island.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said isolated tornadoes were also possible.

2:15 p.m.

Forecasters say Hurricane Joaquin’s sustained winds have dropped to 105 mph (165 kph), making it a Category 2 storm.

It’s still expected to bring hurricane conditions and life-threatening storm surge to Bermuda later in the day when the storm’s centre passes the island. U.S. forecasters at the National Hurricane Center say isolated tornadoes are also possible.

As the hurricane’s eye moves toward Bermuda, swells kicked up by the storm will continue to affect the Bahamas and the eastern coast of the U.S. about 600 miles (965 kilometres) away.

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11 a.m.

Joaquin is weakening as it heads north. By late Sunday morning, forecasters said it was a powerful Category 3 storm with winds near 115 mph (185 kph). It is expected to bring hurricane conditions and life-threatening storm surges to Bermuda by the afternoon when the centre passes near the island.

As the hurricane moves toward Bermuda, swells kicked up by the storm will continue to affect the Bahamas and the eastern coast of the United States.

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9:30 a.m.

The island of Bermuda is preparing for an encounter with Hurricane Joaquin.

People on the British island territory on Sunday boarded up windows and stocked up on supplies as the storm moved toward the island as a Category 3 hurricane. Ferries and bus service were suspended, shelters were expected to open and emergency service agencies were on alert.

The Bermuda Weather Service reports that the island should start to feel tropical storm-force winds later Sunday. The centre of Joaquin is expected to pass about 60 miles (97 kilometres) from the island on Monday.

The storm was 210 miles (340 kilometres) southwest of Bermuda on Sunday and has maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph). It is moving northeast at 21 mph (33 kph).

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5 a.m.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says conditions on Bermuda have begun to deteriorate as Joaquin approaches on a northeastward path.

The Miami-based centre says about 5 a.m. Saturday that a hurricane warning has been issued for Bermuda by that country’s weather service and damaging winds are expected later in the day.

Miami experts say the storm is a Category 4 hurricane centred about 250 miles (400 kilometres) southwest of Bermuda. It has sustained top winds of 120 mph (195 kph).

The centre says hurricane force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 kilometres) from the centre and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 205 miles (335 kilometres).

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2:15 a.m.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Joaquin remains an “extremely dangerous” storm heading on a northeastward forecast path toward Bermuda.

The Miami-based centre says a hurricane warning has been issued for Bermuda by that country’s weather service.

Miami experts say the storm is a Category 4 hurricane centred about 320 miles (510 kilometres) southwest of Bermuda. It has sustained top winds of 125 mph (205 kph).

The centre says tropical storm conditions should reach Bermuda by Sunday morning and hurricane conditions are expected by Sunday afternoon.

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11 p.m.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Joaquin remains an “extremely dangerous” storm heading on a northeastward forecast path toward Bermuda.

The Miami-based centre says a hurricane warning has been issued for Bermuda by that country’s weather service.

Miami experts say the storm is a Category 4 hurricane centred about 385 miles (620 kilometres) south of Bermuda. It has sustained top winds of 130 mph (215 kph).

The centre says tropical storm conditions should reach Bermuda by Sunday morning and hurricane conditions are expected by Sunday afternoon.

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8 p.m.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Joaquin continues to be a strong Category 4 hurricane as it moves northeastward toward Bermuda.

The storm is now centred about 455 miles (730 kilometres) southwest of Bermuda, moving toward the northeast at 17 mph (28 kph). Joaquin has maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (235 kph)

The Miami specialists say the forecast track indicates the eye of Joaquin should pass west of Bermuda on Sunday. But they caution any deviation in Joaquin’s path could bring the core of the hurricane and stronger winds closer to the island.

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5 p.m.

Forecasters in Miami say Hurricane Joaquin, a Category 4 storm, is centred about 500 miles (805 kilometres) southwest of Bermuda and has top sustained winds of 150 mph (240 kph).

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Joaquin is a severe hurricane and is moving northeast at 17 mph (28 kph).

A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch remain in effect for Bermuda. Tropical storm conditions are expected for Bermuda within the next 24 to 36 hours, the hurricane centre says, adding hurricane conditions are also possible in the same period.

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3 p.m.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Hurricane Joaquin has strengthened again into a Category 4 storm.

The hurricane had dropped to a Category 3 on Friday but was upgraded early Saturday afternoon with maximum sustained winds near 155 mph (250 mph), with higher gusts. A gradual weakening was expected later in the day.

The centre said swells generated by Joaquin will continue to affect portions of the Bahamas over the next few days.

A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch were issued for Bermuda. Tropical storm conditions are expected to reach Bermuda by Sunday morning, with hurricane conditions possible later in the day.

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12 p.m.

U.S. Coast Guard aircraft has resumed its search in the waters of the southeastern Bahamas for a cargo ship with 33 people on board that lost power and began taking on water after powerful Hurricane Joaquin struck.

Coast Guard officials dispatched planes and helicopters to the area with the storm now moving to the northeast away from the Bahamas.

The 735-foot (224-meter) El Faro was heading from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Juan, Puerto Rico when it was battered by 20- to 30-foot waves (up to 9-meter) as Joaquin was a Category 4 storm. It has since weakened to a Category 3.

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5:20 a.m.

Joaquin (wa-KEEN) has sped up a bit as it moves away from the Bahamas, and remains a Category 3 hurricane.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Joaquin was centred Saturday morning about 120 miles (175 kms) northeast of San Salvador, Bahamas, and about 700 miles (1,130 kms) southwest of Bermuda.

It has maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kph), and is moving northeast at 13 mph (20 kph).

A hurricane warning is still in effect for parts of the Bahamas. The Bermuda Weather Service has issued a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch for Bermuda.

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2:40 a.m.

Joaquin (wa-KEEN) has sped up a bit as it moves away from the Bahamas, and remains a Category 3 hurricane.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Joaquin was centred early Saturday about 75 miles (120 kms) northeast of San Salvador, Bahamas, and about 745 miles (1,205 kms) southwest of Bermuda.

It has maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kph), and is moving northeast at 10 mph (17 kph).

A hurricane warning is still in effect for parts of the Bahamas. The Bermuda Weather Service has issued a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch for Bermuda.