By Ruth O'Kelly-Lynch
HAMILTON (Reuters) - Hurricane Bill, weaker but still a dangerous storm, charged northwards toward Canada's Atlantic region on Saturday, generating heavy swells and dangerous surf on a path skirting the U.S. New England coast.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center earlier downgraded Bill to a Category 1 storm packing top winds of 85 miles per hour (140 km per hour). Category 1 storms are the mildest on the five-step Saffir-Simpson intensity scale but are still potentially threatening.
The track forecast for Bill, the first hurricane of the 2009 Atlantic season, would take it on a northward path off the New England coast over Saturday night, moving over or near Nova Scotia in Canada on Sunday, the Miami-based NHC said.
Bill was expected to start weakening further on Sunday as it moves over cooler waters.
Canadian authorities have issued selective hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings for its Atlantic maritime provinces, specifically for parts of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. On its current track, Bill could threaten some oil and natural gas platforms and refineries.
But at least one major oil facility in Bill's path, the massive 98,200 barrel per day Hibernia platform, built to withstand icebergs and operated by Exxon Mobil Corp, would continue to operate normally, an Exxon spokeswoman said.
Canada's National Hurricane Center warned people in coastal areas to be alert on Sunday for heavy rain, storm surge and heavy surf that could cause flooding.
At 8 p.m. (0000 GMT) on Saturday, Bill's center was about 225 miles south-southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts and about 550 miles south-southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
"The forecast track brings Bill to the waters just south of Nova Scotia in 24 hours and very near or over Newfoundland between 24 and 36 hours as a weakening cyclone," the NHC said.
STORM WARNING IN MASSACHUSETTS
A tropical storm warning was also in effect on Saturday for parts of the coast of Massachusetts, including the island of Martha's Vineyard, where President Barack Obama and his family are due to start a summer vacation on Sunday.
U.S. media reported some beaches in Massachusetts, New York and elsewhere on the U.S. East Coast were closed to swimmers as the NHC warned that swells generated by Bill could cause dangerous surf and rip currents.
Earlier on Saturday, Bill dumped rain on Bermuda and pushed powerful rolling surf onto the shores of the 20-square-mile (52 sq km) British territory, which is a center for the global insurance industry.
But no casualties were reported and damage appeared minor. Bermudian authorities ended the tropical storm warning for the island.
Bermudians, who are used to Atlantic storms, shrugged off the hurricane. "We've had worse, but it's better to be safe than sorry," said Robert Marquez, front desk manager at Bermuda's upscale The Reefs Hotel.
HAMILTON (Reuters) - Hurricane Bill, weaker but still a dangerous storm, charged northwards toward Canada's Atlantic region on Saturday, generating heavy swells and dangerous surf on a path skirting the U.S. New England coast.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center earlier downgraded Bill to a Category 1 storm packing top winds of 85 miles per hour (140 km per hour). Category 1 storms are the mildest on the five-step Saffir-Simpson intensity scale but are still potentially threatening.
The track forecast for Bill, the first hurricane of the 2009 Atlantic season, would take it on a northward path off the New England coast over Saturday night, moving over or near Nova Scotia in Canada on Sunday, the Miami-based NHC said.
Bill was expected to start weakening further on Sunday as it moves over cooler waters.
Canadian authorities have issued selective hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings for its Atlantic maritime provinces, specifically for parts of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. On its current track, Bill could threaten some oil and natural gas platforms and refineries.
But at least one major oil facility in Bill's path, the massive 98,200 barrel per day Hibernia platform, built to withstand icebergs and operated by Exxon Mobil Corp, would continue to operate normally, an Exxon spokeswoman said.
Canada's National Hurricane Center warned people in coastal areas to be alert on Sunday for heavy rain, storm surge and heavy surf that could cause flooding.
At 8 p.m. (0000 GMT) on Saturday, Bill's center was about 225 miles south-southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts and about 550 miles south-southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
"The forecast track brings Bill to the waters just south of Nova Scotia in 24 hours and very near or over Newfoundland between 24 and 36 hours as a weakening cyclone," the NHC said.
STORM WARNING IN MASSACHUSETTS
A tropical storm warning was also in effect on Saturday for parts of the coast of Massachusetts, including the island of Martha's Vineyard, where President Barack Obama and his family are due to start a summer vacation on Sunday.
U.S. media reported some beaches in Massachusetts, New York and elsewhere on the U.S. East Coast were closed to swimmers as the NHC warned that swells generated by Bill could cause dangerous surf and rip currents.
Earlier on Saturday, Bill dumped rain on Bermuda and pushed powerful rolling surf onto the shores of the 20-square-mile (52 sq km) British territory, which is a center for the global insurance industry.
But no casualties were reported and damage appeared minor. Bermudian authorities ended the tropical storm warning for the island.
Bermudians, who are used to Atlantic storms, shrugged off the hurricane. "We've had worse, but it's better to be safe than sorry," said Robert Marquez, front desk manager at Bermuda's upscale The Reefs Hotel.
Source: Reuters
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