Before I moved to Bermuda a little over 8 years ago, when I was still considering whether or not to move, friends said to me ‘aren’t you worried about hurricanes?’ From what I had read and heard, the consensus was that I didn’t need to worry, ‘we only get a hurricane every 10 years’ is what they said.
Uh huh. Famous last words! I’m going to recount my Bermuda hurricane memories then fast forward to the present day. By the way, at the end is the history of the hurricanes since I moved to Bermuda. One every 10 years my ass!!
So I had posted lots of hurricane memories on FB before I lost everything. I had great video and photos. I’m just going to share some of the memories so I might remember them going forward.
I arrived on August 18th, in October we had TWO hurricanes within a week, apparently that had never happened. The first one wasn’t really expected to be very bad. Honestly I didn’t even close my windows! But it had been a while since a big storm so it caused quite a mess. Lots of tree branches down, debris everywhere. Tucker was here for that storm, pretty sure he slept right through it. I remember getting up early in the morning because it was so loud. But I don’t think I realized it was a hurricane. Of course we lost power and communications. I didn’t actually have my bike license at that point but I had already purchased a bike. There were no buses running so I got on my bike and ride to KFC. Smart eh?!?! Some other staff made it in so we opened.
Not a week later, we had another storm and get us open. I ended up getting a hotel room. I snuck Bagheera (my cat) in with me. I couldn’t leave him alone in a scary storm now could I? This one was more serious. If I remember correctly I lost power at my place for 2 weeks. I stayed at the hotel for a few days but then had to go home. I got caught with Bagheera on the way out… pretty sure I’m still not welcome at that hotel.
Ok, so some important facts:
Bermuda has amazing building code and buildings here withstand hurricanes very well.
In hurricanes, lots of people lose power.
In town (Hamilton) the power lines are buried so most places in town do not lose power.
When people don’t have power, guess where they come for food… KFC! We are insanely busy after hurricanes.
So with that hurricane, we decided to shut down the server for the order taking system. I was so new then that I didn’t know how to turn it back on. The IT guys were supposed to be in the next morning to turn it on. But, they couldn’t make it. So when we opened (with only me and 3 staff) we were taking orders by hand, manually writing them down, calculating the price, making the order, handing it out and going back to the next customer. For some perspective, on a busy day I should have me plus 12 staff. So imagine the fun we had!!
The other important thing to know about hurricanes in Bermuda is that people have hurricane parties. Now people take hurricanes seriously and prepare for them by boarding up windows, securing items etc but there is not a panic to it. One of the most important parts of prepping for a hurricane is shopping for alcohol. You have to make sure that you have all the booze you need to make it through a hurricane!! If you’re lucky or smart, you have a gas stove (you can still cook without power). So you stock up on alcohol, get your BBQ or gas stove ready, fill your bathtub with water (or water jugs). Then you have your hurricane party.
Oh, can’t forget this memory. The first year, second hurricane… the one where I snuck Bagheera into the hotel room… after coming home I almost lost him! When I came home from the hotel, I checked my apartment for damage before I let him out of the cat carrier. But somehow, I left the sliding glass door open and he got out!! I was down at the neighbours chatting and I heard a cat fight. Poor Bagheera had gotten out and got into a little fight with another cat. Took me some time to coax him back in poor guy.
The rest of the hurricane memories are not very memorable. Probably the most memorable thing is how tough it was at KFC following them.
Fast forward to today… with Hurricane Fiona approaching. This one is a Category 4, expected to be significant. I’m home and ready… almost… still have to fill a jug of water just in case.
The history of hurricanes since my arrival in 2014:
- August 27–28, 2014 – Hurricane Cristobal passes far to the northwest, with its effects limited to gusty winds and heightened surf.[3]
A small yacht wrecked by Hurricane Fay in October 2014
- October 12, 2014 – Category 1 Hurricane Fay makes landfall in Bermuda, causing an unexpectedly great degree of damage. Wind gusts over 100 mph (160 km/h) clog roadways with downed trees and utility poles, and leave most electric customers without power. Along the coast, Fay damages or destroys numerous boats and inundates streets.[205] The terminal building at the airport suffers extensive flooding after the powerful winds compromise its roof and sprinkler system.[206] Insured losses from Fay likely total “tens of millions of dollars.”[207]
- October 17–18, 2014 – While cleanup and repairs from Fay are still underway, Category 2 Hurricane Gonzalo makes landfall on the southwestern coast, severely compounding the damage.[6] The territory experiences up to 12 hours of hurricane-force winds, peaking at 144 mph (232 km/h) at St. David’s Island, Bermuda; consequently, widespread roof and structural damage is reported.[207]At the height of the storm, about 31,000 out of 36,000 electricity customers are without power, including 1,500 residual outages from Fay.[208] The hurricane destroys many boats and inflicts minor damage on Causeway, limiting traffic to one lane for several days.[207] Trees and utility poles once again leave “barely a road passable” across the island,[209] and the Bermuda Weather Service building endures wind and water damage. The most significant storm to affect Bermuda since Fabian in 2003, Gonzalo is generally less destructive, and causes no deaths or major injuries.[207] Insured losses are estimated at between $200 and $400 million.[6]
- October 4–5, 2015 – Category 1 Hurricane Joaquin passes about 70 mi (110 km) to the west-northwest, producing several inches of rain and strong winds, gusting as high as 115 mph (185 km/h) at exposed and elevated locations.[210][211] A structure at the Bermuda Maritime Museum is partially unroofed,[212] and about 15,000 households lose electricity,[213] but damage is generally inconsequential.[214]
2016–presentEdit
- January 8, 2016 – The extratropical cyclone that would later become Hurricane Alex generates rough seas and 60 mph (100 km/h) wind gusts. Along with sporadic power outages, air travel and ferry services are interrupted.[215]
- September 24, 2016 – Tropical Storm Karl passes about 50 mi (80 km) to the southeast. Heavy rainfall, totaling 4.71 in (120 mm), contributes to Bermuda’s wettest September on record,[3][216] while tropical storm-force winds cut power to about 800 electric customers.[217]
- October 13, 2016 – The eye of Category 3 Hurricane Nicolepasses over the islands, though the exact center remains just offshore. Gusts as high as 136 mph (219 km/h) blow down trees and power lines, which cuts power to nearly 90% of the territory.[218][219]Dozens of boats are damaged or destroyed, and entire fields of crops are lost, although property damage is less severe than anticipated.[220][221][222] The hurricane drops 6.77 in (172 mm) of rain, becoming one of the wettest recorded tropical cyclones to impact Bermuda.[218] Total damage is estimated at $15 million.[3]
- August 3–4, 2017 – Showers and thunderstorms accompany the extratropical remnants of Tropical Storm Emily as they sweep over the islands.[223]
- September 18–19, 2017 – The outer bands of slow-moving Hurricane Jose bring gusts as high as 46 mph (74 km/h) and nearly 2.5 in (64 mm) of rain, as well as a prolonged period of large swells.[224][225]
- July 9, 2018 – Moderate showers signal the arrival of atmospheric instability and moisture from Tropical Storm Chris to the southwest.[226]
- July 13, 2018 – The extratropical remnants of Hurricane Beryl, passing between Bermuda and the United States, give rise to light rain and gusty winds.[226] On the next day, the disturbance regenerates into a subtropical cyclone while centered 290 mi (470 km) north of the islands.[227]
- September 18, 2019 – Bermuda enters the southern eyewall of Category 3 Hurricane Humberto,[228] centered about 65 mi (105 km) northwest at its closest approach. Sustained winds of up to 110 mph (175 km/h) with higher gusts hit northern and western areas the hardest,[229]damaging the roofs of as many as 600 buildings.[228][230] Nearly 28,000 electric customers lose power, many roads are left impassable,[3] and farmers report severe losses to fruit and vegetable crops.[231] On the Bermuda Weather Service campus, a GOES-16 satellite receiving dish and weather balloon launching platform are destroyed, and weather radarservice is cut near the height of the storm.[228] Overall damage is estimated at $25 million.[229]Because of effective preparations, Humberto causes no deaths or serious injuries.[228]
- September 24–25, 2019 – Around 1 in (25 mm) of rain falls in advance of Hurricane Jerry’s dwindling remnant low, which ultimately passes directly over the islands.[232]
- September 29 – October 1, 2019 – Clouds and light rain associated with Tropical Storm Karen linger for several days. Meanwhile, Horseshoe Bay is closed to swimmers because of dangerous swells from distant but powerful Hurricane Lorenzo.[233][234]
- July 4–5, 2020 — Moderate rainfall and some thunderstorms with tropical-storm force wind gusts occur as Tropical Depression Five (later Tropical Storm Edouard) passes 70 mi (110 km) to the north of the islands.[235][236][237]
- September 14–15, 2020 — Hurricane Paulette makes landfall on the northeastern part of the island as a Category 2 hurricane, bringing heavy wind, rain, and storm surge. Just under 70% of the island lost power and wind gusts reached 115 mph (185 km/h). A direct hit to the island, the eye of the hurricane provided an unusual 3 hour respite from the strong winds.[238]
- June 6, 2022 — Tropical Storm Alex makes its closest approach to the island, remaining 220 miles away from the island. The outer bands of the storm caused strong winds and dropped 1-2 inches of rain on the island. [239]
byGinene 
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