After unleashing the worst of its fury on Bermuda Sunday afternoon and night,Hurricane Igor will still wreck havoc on the island nation on Monday despitepushing away.The massive size of Igor is the reason the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center isexpecting the hurricane to batter Bermuda well before and after its eye passesdangerously close to or over the island nation Sunday night.
Early Saturday afternoon, tropical storm-force winds extended nearly 350 milesaway from Igor's center. To put that distance into perspective, consider thefact that it takes 311 miles to travel the entire stretch of Interstate 80,west to east, across Pennsylvania.
Even after the destructive hurricane-force winds diminish and Igor departs tothe northeast Monday morning, tropical storm-force winds will continue to whipacross Bermuda well into Monday afternoon.
Monday's tropical storm-force winds threaten to toss around any debris left inthe wake of Igor's most destructive winds. The flying debris could result inadditional damage or bodily harm. The winds will also make it difficult forcrews to start restoring power.
With Hurricane Igor set to be churning to the northeast of Bermuda on Monday,the winds will be forced to start blowing from the northwest. That shift inwind direction will put the northern coast of Bermuda at risk for Igor'sflooding storm surge.
The island nation's southern coast will be in greatest danger of a significantflooding storm surge into Sunday night due to winds howling from the east, thenthe south prior to Igor's arrival.
The one benefit of Igor's departure on Monday is that waves will no longer bereaching heights in excess of 40 feet, as what will be the case Sunday night.
Waves on Monday will subside to 18 to 24 feet, although those heights are stillextremely hazardous for boaters.
The winds will finally subside to a lighter breeze on Tuesday. However, it willlikely take until later in the week for seas to eventually turn calmer.
Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski
