to mention power.

A spokeswoman for the Bermuda Electric Light Company confirmed power outages began occurring throughout the Island around midday.

And the company was forced to call in extra telephone operators and repair crew to keep up with numerous calls of downed lines.

Some homes had power restored in less than an hour, the spokeswoman said, but "a significant number of people'' were without electricity on Superbowl Sunday.

"It's affecting houses right across the Island,'' she added.

Frigid northerly high winds gusting up to 55 knots and chilling rain blasted the Island for most of the day.

The daytime temperature hovered around 50 degrees, but the Island still has to lose a few more to beat a chilly 1950 record low of 44.

At least some locals -- and a few tourists -- were spared the cold and wet conditions when high winds forced Delta and Continental planes to return to the US.

At the other end of the Island, a Harbour Radio operator said waves threw a 17-foot, white Cape Dory onto rocks near the lower dock of the Sandys Boat Club at Mangrove Bay, Sandys.

Personnel were still trying to track down the owner of the wayward vessel.

A spokesman from the Bermuda Weather Service said the wild weather conditions were expected to settle down and warm up by tomorrow.