predicted that another wave of ugly weather is set to hit the Island.

Gale force winds are expected to last most of the day, although they will decrease by this evening.

Pieter Spyker of the Bermuda Weather Service said: "There's a really deep low pressure that's sitting up around Cape Cod at the moment that's moving slowly east. While that's there, we are in for some really bad weather.

"I don't think rain is going to be too much of a problem but we can expect some really strong winds. The worst time will probably be throughout Wednesday morning when we should get gale force westerly winds at around 40 knots.

"By the afternoon things should have calmed down a little, although the winds are still going to be pretty strong at around 20 to 30 knots. They will probably last through Thursday.'' The bad weather has already brought some destruction. Yesterday morning high winds caused a tree on Middle Road, Warwick, to topple onto a power line.

Houses in the area went without electricity for nearly four hours while Bermuda Electric Light Company engineers repaired the damaged line.

A spokesman for Bermuda Harbour Radio confirmed gale warnings had been issued.

And he advised all sailors to keep off their vessels until the bad weather had passed.

"We would advise all ship owners to check their moorings to make sure they are secure and not to go out sailing today,'' the spokesman said.