The Island is in for strong winds today as a weather disturbance makes its way past Bermuda.

Forecaster Michelle Pitcher of the Bermuda Weather Service said the blustery weather is being caused by a large, complex low pressure system which brings a risk of thunder in addition to rain and squally showers.

“It will remain windy throughout, with strongest winds expected for a period [this] afternoon, when sustained gales are possible with gusts to storm force,” she said.

“Gusts could reach as high as 50 to 55 knots (around 60mph). Seas are expected to build very rough to high.”

While some international news outlets have reported that the low could become a subtropical storm in the next day or two, the US-based National Hurricane Centre had issued a special statement saying that conditions would not be appropriate for such development.

The statement says in part: “Environmental conditions are not expected to be conducive for subtropical or tropical cyclone formation through the weekend while the low moves east northeastward into the central Atlantic Ocean.

“However, conditions could become conducive for this system to acquire some subtropical characteristics while it moves east-southeastward into the eastern subtropical Atlantic Ocean by the middle of next week.”

As of yesterday evening thunderstorm and gale warnings were in effect and a small craft warning was in effect for tomorrow.