By Ruth O'Kelly-Lynch
HAMILTON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Hurricane Bill raced north towards eastern Canada on Saturday, buffeting the U.S. East Coast with dangerous heavy swells after brushing Bermuda with rain and powerful churning surf.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Bill, still a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of near 100 miles per hour (160 km per hour), was charging northwards over open ocean at 23 miles mph (37 kph). It would reach waters just south of Nova Scotia in Canada in 24 hours.
Canadian authorities issued selective hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings for its Atlantic maritime provinces, specifically parts of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. On its current track, Bill could threaten some oil and natural gas platforms and refineries in east Canada.
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.
Canadian forecasters said Bill was likely to weaken to a tropical storm by the time it reaches the Newfoundland area late Sunday or early Monday.
But Canada's National Hurricane Centre warned people in coastal areas to be alert on Sunday for heavy rain, storm surge and heavy surf that could cause flooding.
A tropical storm warning also went into effect on Saturday for parts of the United States' Massachusetts coast, 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 National Hurricane Center warned that swells generated by Bill could cause dangerous surf and rip-currents.
At 2 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Saturday, the center of Bill, the first hurricane of the 2009 Atlantic season, was located about 370 miles (595 km) south of Nantucket, Massachusetts, the hurricane center said.
BERMUDIANS SHRUG OFF BILL
Earlier on Saturday, Bill dumped rain on Bermuda and pushed powerful rolling surf onto the shores of the 20 square mile (53 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.
Earlier in the week, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, wrapped up a brief private vacation in Bermuda and left the island on Thursday before the storm.
(Additional reporting by Scott Haggett in Calgary; Writing by Pascal Fletcher; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
((For a graphic on the storms, click on http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/RNGS/AUG/BILL.jpg))
((For an analysis on hurricanes and insurance, click on ))
((NHC website: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/)) Keywords: WEATHER STORM/ (Miami newsroom; +1 305 810 2688) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
HAMILTON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Hurricane Bill raced north towards eastern Canada on Saturday, buffeting the U.S. East Coast with dangerous heavy swells after brushing Bermuda with rain and powerful churning surf.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Bill, still a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of near 100 miles per hour (160 km per hour), was charging northwards over open ocean at 23 miles mph (37 kph). It would reach waters just south of Nova Scotia in Canada in 24 hours.
Canadian authorities issued selective hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings for its Atlantic maritime provinces, specifically parts of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. On its current track, Bill could threaten some oil and natural gas platforms and refineries in east Canada.
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.
Canadian forecasters said Bill was likely to weaken to a tropical storm by the time it reaches the Newfoundland area late Sunday or early Monday.
But Canada's National Hurricane Centre warned people in coastal areas to be alert on Sunday for heavy rain, storm surge and heavy surf that could cause flooding.
A tropical storm warning also went into effect on Saturday for parts of the United States' Massachusetts coast, 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 National Hurricane Center warned that swells generated by Bill could cause dangerous surf and rip-currents.
At 2 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Saturday, the center of Bill, the first hurricane of the 2009 Atlantic season, was located about 370 miles (595 km) south of Nantucket, Massachusetts, the hurricane center said.
BERMUDIANS SHRUG OFF BILL
Earlier on Saturday, Bill dumped rain on Bermuda and pushed powerful rolling surf onto the shores of the 20 square mile (53 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.
Earlier in the week, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, wrapped up a brief private vacation in Bermuda and left the island on Thursday before the storm.
(Additional reporting by Scott Haggett in Calgary; Writing by Pascal Fletcher; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
((For a graphic on the storms, click on http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/RNGS/AUG/BILL.jpg))
((For an analysis on hurricanes and insurance, click on ))
((NHC website: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/)) Keywords: WEATHER STORM/ (Miami newsroom; +1 305 810 2688) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.