Maria spares Bermuda

Maria brushed past the Caribbean island without causing any major damage, before reaching hurricane status.

HAMILTON, Bermuda, Friday September 16, 2011 – Bermuda was spared major impact from Tropical Storm Maria as it grazed the island yesterday.

It was the third storm the Caribbean island has had a brush with this Atlantic Hurricane Season. But Minister of National Security Wayne N. M Perinchief has urged residents not to be complacent.

“We have been lucky thus far, but there is still a ways to go,” he said. “The hurricane season doesn’t end until 30 November.”

Maria passed about 100 miles west of Bermuda in the early afternoon, carrying maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour.

By the time it passed and aimed at Newfoundland, it had developed into a Category One hurricane. At 8 a.m. today Hurricane Maria was carrying maximum sustained winds around 80 miles per hour and was located 375 miles southwest of Cape Race Newfoundland.

“Some weakening is anticipated by tonight and Maria could be absorbed within a frontal zone by Saturday,” the National Hurricane Centre in Miami said this morning. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)