Hurricane Paulette hits Bermuda before swing away from U.S.

Sept. 14 (UPI) -- Hurricane Paulette made landfall over Bermuda early Monday, battering the island with strong damaging winds and torrential rains.

In a 11 p.m. EDT advisory, the National Hurricane Center said the storm was located 275 miles north-northeast of Bermuda. It had maximum sustained winds of 105 mph and was moving northeast at 17 mph.

The NHC said heavy rains and hurricane conditions are continuing to affect Bermuda.

"A turn toward the northeast is expected later tonight followed by a turn toward the east-northeast and an increase in forward speed Tuesday night through Friday morning," it said.

Paulette strengthened into a hurricane Saturday night and the Bermuda government warned residents to prepare for a Category 2 storm.

Schools and all government buildings will be closed Monday and Tuesday while the L. F. Wade International Airport was shuttered Sunday and is scheduled to reopen Tuesday.

The Bermuda Weather Service reported wind gusts of 117 mph at the Marine Operations Center.

Paulette is in the center of the Atlantic Basin and is projected to take an extreme path to the northeast, out over the open ocean, until turning to the south by the end of the week.

Forecasters don't expect the storm to impact any other land.

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