A tropical storm warning has been lifted as Hurricane Joaquin continues to drift away from the Island.

Meanwhile all public schools, as well as private schools and Bermuda College, are expected to reopen tomorrow morning.

Hurricane Joaquin weakened to a Category 1 storm last night and was located about 201 miles north of Bermuda at 3pm.

The BWS’s 4.30pm update stated: “Hurricane Joaquin continues to slowly move northeast away from the area, strong winds with gale force gusts persist through tonight. Conditions then begin to gradually improve by Tuesday morning, as weak high pressure builds over the area.”

With a peak strength on Saturday of 155mph, Joaquin became the strongest Atlantic storm since Hurricane Igor in 2010.

Similarly to Igor, however, it has diminished in strength with its trek north.

According to the National Hurricane Centre (NHC), the storm has maximum sustained winds of about 85mph with higher gusts. It is still moving towards the north-northeast at about 13mph, and gradual weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours.

The hurricane’s progress has attracted international attention, with cities on the United States East Coast initially fearing the system would make landfall.

With Joaquin set to boomerang northwest after passing Bermuda, gale force winds are a possibility for Scotland later in the coming week.

There have been intermittent reports of outages — the majority now being in the East End — and Belco crews were working until about 9.30pm last night to restore power. They will resume work at first light, according to a spokeswoman.

The Bermuda Police Service is advising the motoring public to slow down as there are large amounts of water and debris on the roads.

“If you must be on the roads please switch on your headlights to increase your visibility,” a spokesman said.

Government announced yesterday that all government schools will be closed today. Mount Saint Agnes Academy, Warwick Academy, Saltus Grammar School, Bermuda High School for Girls, Bermuda Institute and Somersfield Academy will also be shut — as is Bermuda College. Preschools across the Island will also be closed.

Saltus and Bermuda College have announced that they will reopen tomorrow, however Acting Premier Bob Richards said it has not been determined what public schools will open tomorrow, noting that as of this afternoon some schools were still without electricity.

All flights to and from the Island were cancelled yesterday and the airport was scheduled to close at 2pm. The facility fared poorly in the Island’s last round of hurricanes a year ago, with widespread flooding.

Ferry services were also cancelled and buses were suspended at 10am yesterday, however service is expected to resume this afternoon in a limited capacity.

The Department of Public Transportation has announced that bus routes 7 and 8 between Hamilton and Dockyard, along with routes 10 and 11 between Hamilton and Grotto Bay would resume at 2pm.

The Department of Marine and Ports Services mean while said that normal ferry service would resume as of 4.10pm today for all routes, although the Paget/Warwick ferry will only be stopping at Hodgson’s, Salt Kettle, Darrell’s Wharf and Hinson’s Island.

Full bus service will begin tomorrow, along with ferry service except for the St George’s to Dockyard ferry, which will remain suspended until conditions improve.