MOSCOW October 20 (RIA Novosti) Hurricane Gonzalo, which battered Bermuda last week with winds of up to 175km/h is due to arrive in Britain on Monday night, culminating on Tuesday in gale force winds of up to 130km/h along the coast of Scotland.
The UK Met Office has issued a yellow warning, stating that “The strongest winds are expected on Tuesday as the low pressure clears eastwards. Some uncertainty remains in the track and intensity, but there remains the potential for localized disruption to travel, especially as the strongest winds will coincide with rush hour in places. Fallen leaves impeding drainage increases the risk of surface water affecting roads, while some damage to trees is possible, given that many are still in full leaf."
Gonzalo, the strongest Atlantic hurricane in four years, peaked in the Atlantic as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 230km/h. It caused widespread damage when it hit Bermuda as a Category 3 storm and caused a power cut to 80 percent of the archipelago’s territory; however, it declined in strength to Category 2 with 180km/h as it moved directly across the island.
The UK Ministry of Defence has sent the Royal Navy ship HMS Argyll with a crew of 180 to the island to assist with the relief effort if necessary; it is equipped with a helicopter and a number of small boats to help with reconnaissance and transport.
The hurricane was the second cyclone within a week to hit Bermuda, following Tropical Storm Fay, which hit the archipelago on October 12 with winds of 110km/h.
Since records began in 1899, 10 major hurricanes have hit Bermuda, with only two of them reaching Category 4 strength when tracked within 120 km of the island.
