Hurricane José remains a potential threat to Bermuda this afternoon after moving within 500 nautical miles south of the island.

The storm’s closest point in the next 72 hours is expected to be 358 nautical miles to the south-southwest of Bermuda at 10am tomorrow, according to the noon update from the Bermuda Weather Service.

At noon, José was at Category 2 strength, but by this afternoon it is forecast to have weakened to Category 1.

The Weather Service said José is forecast to continue tracking northwest before making a tight, clockwise loop back to the southeast, followed by another turn west, which would take it away from the island.

The threshold for being deemed a potential threat is 400 nautical miles.

José at noon was 466 nautical miles south-southwest of Bermuda and headed north at 9mph with maximum sustained winds of 103mph and higher gusts.

Alison Hill, CEO at the Argus Group, said in a statement released today: “We encourage everyone to be vigilant and ensure that their insurance policies are up to date.

“While Hurricane José is expected to pass by 350 nautical miles from Bermuda, it’s important to be cautious and to keep up-to-date on any last-minute weather changes.”

She urged people to call Customer Service Centre on 298-0888 for support.