A string of flights to and from the island got hit with delays as a powerful system packing gale-force winds swept over Bermuda.

A total of eight flights listed for LF Wade International Airport were hindered by the weather, which brought thunderstorms and high winds from late morning.

The airport’s website showed delays affecting services for Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and New York.

One traveller said online: “Well, our plane from Boston tried to land in Bermuda but got turned back because of the crazy weather today (50mph gusts and zero visibility).

“So we're stuck at BDA Airport in the land of $30 sandwiches for the next 6 hrs.”

The JetBlue service from Boston, scheduled to land at 1.20pm with a take-off one hour later, was rescheduled to take off at 7.40pm.

Skyport, which operates the island’s airport, confirmed at 5pm that the Boston flight was the only one that had to turn back.

All flights were said to be “in the air”, with the Boston flight soon to depart.

The weather deteriorated in the morning as a fast-moving cold front bore down from the island’s west.

A gale warning remained in effect by evening, with colder, more settled conditions forecast.