Wednesday

12pm: Public schools close for the day (winds — 21 knots)

3pm: Government offices and most businesses close in advance of the storm (winds — 19 knots)

9pm: Nicole strengthens to a Category 3 storm. Updated forecasts suggest the storm will hit Bermuda “at or near” major hurricane status (winds — 21 knots)

10pm: The Emergency Broadcast System goes live as scheduled, with Michael Dunkley, the Premier, telling listeners the island is prepared to “ride out the storm”

11pm: The Causeway closes, and the Bermuda Weather Service forecasts 24 hours of tropical storm force winds and nine hours of hurricane strength winds

Midnight: Nicole strengthens into a Category 4 storm and Bermuda is warned it likely faces a major hurricane (winds — 17 knots)

Thursday

7am: Power outages are reported in several parts of the island. Forecasts begin to warn that the storm may not be downgraded until the eye is already over the island (winds — 30 knots; gusts — 40 knots)

9am: The storm weakens to a strong Category 3 hurricane with the system’s rain shield already over the island. Outages become more widespread, including sections of Paget and Pembroke, with reports of small trees being blown down (winds — 40 knots; gusts — 55 knots)

10.30am: Gusts are recorded reaching 91 knots and flooding is reported in St George’s, Pembroke and Sandys. The number of reported outages continues to rise.

11am: Gusts on Pearl Island record at 103 knots. Shortly afterwards, winds begin to fall as the eye begins to pass over the island

11.30am: Wind speeds plummet to just 14 knots as the island enters the eye of the storm. Members of public took the opportunity to survey property damage around the island, noting damaged roofs, downed trees and boats torn from their moorings

12.30pm: Bermuda begins to exit the eye of the storm, and the number of homes without power increases to 24,572

1pm: Gusts reach 80 knots on Pearl Island as Bermuda passed through the western eye wall

2pm: Winds remain strong, with sustained winds reaching 53 knots and gusts reaching 75 knots

2.45pm: The National Hurricane Centre confirms that the storm is around 90 miles northeast of Bermuda and moving away (winds — 46 knots; gusts — 69 knots)

4pm: Belco announces that 90 per cent of its customers are without power, adding that the company has started patrolling the system for damage assessment. Meanwhile, 160 Royal Bermuda Regiment soldiers come out to help clear the streets (winds — 39 knots; gusts — 57 knots)

5.45pm: Nicole continues to speed away from the island having weakened to a Category 2 storm. The Causeway remains shut, with the EMO stating that it will remain closed until at least this morning (winds — 27 knots; gusts — 39 knots) 7.00pm: Regiment reports that many of the island’s roads have been cleared of debris

8pm: Belco reports that electricity has been returned to 7,698 customers, while some 19,733 remains out of power.

8pm: Premier Michael Dunkley assesses the island-wide damage

10pm: The Causeway reopens