Hurricane Gonzalo continues to barrel towards Bermuda, the US National Hurricane Centre reported as of midnight.

Gonzalo remained a Category 4 hurricane, expected to make a direct hit on the Island today, with the storm’s eye crossing within 25 miles from Bermuda at about 8pm.

The Centre’s update put the storm 340 miles south-southwest of the Island. The advisory said that potentially life-threatening storm surge was possible in Bermuda later today.

Gonzalo is expected to be a Category 3 when it arrives with full force.

Gonzalo now has maximum sustained winds of 145mph with higher gusts and is moving north-northeast at 9mph, but the storm is expected to weaken late today.

A continued north-northeast motion with an increase in forward speed is expected through Saturday.

Hurricane force winds extend outwards up to 60 miles from the centre, with tropical storm winds extending up to 150 miles.

Between three and six inches of rainfall is forecast.

The Centre warned: “Hurricane conditions are expected to reach Bermuda on Friday with tropical storm conditions beginning Friday morning.

“It should be noted that wind speeds atop and on the windward sides of hilly terrain are often up to 30 percent stronger than at the surface, and in some elevated locations can be even greater.”

The Bermuda Weather Service (BWS) site advised yesterday: “Southeasterly winds will be increasing through today, and preparations should be complete before this evening. Seas will be rapidly building up to 35 feet on Friday as dangerous winds reach destructive hurricane force.”

Gonzalo is reportedly the strongest Atlantic hurricane since 2011’s Ophelia, and stood at a Category 4 as of midnight last night — meaning its winds range from 130mph to 156mph.

BWS predictions have it weakening before impact to a Category 3, which runs from 111 to 129mph. The scale runs from one to five.