A huge Arctic storm tracking eastward across the continental United States could prevent aircraft from flying to Bermuda, and could bring more wind, rain and cold temperatures to the Island.

A spokesperson from the Bermuda Weather Service said it will be wet and windy for the next week.

She said the system currently dumping snow on the northeast of the US will intensify as it reaches the Gulf Stream and merge with a front to the Island's south.

This will produce very unsettled conditions and the cloud and rain will remain well into next week.

She said: "To varying degrees, there will be precipitation everyday for the next week.'' More than an inch of rain was recorded in a 24-hour period from 3 p.m. on Thursday to 3 p.m. yesterday.

This brings the monthly rainfall to 3.83 inches, capping off what has turned out to be a very wet year, even though December's average rainfall of 4.51 has not been surpassed.

Year to date, the Island has been doused with 67.28 inches of rain which is well above the average for the year from January 1 to December 31 of 55.59 inches.

"And to think that at the beginning of the year people were crying drought,'' said the spokesperson.

She also warned that there will be some very strong westerly winds on New-years-eve that may put a damper on a fireworks display organised by the St. George's Chamber of Commerce.

The strong winds will follow the passing of a frontal boundary tomorrow afternoon, but the spokesperson warned that this prediction was not exact as it was still several days away.

And those anticipating travelling to or from the US over the next few days should phone the airline on which they are traveling as it is likely there will be delays and cancellations.

A customer service representative from American Airlines said it was a "wait and see situation'', but presently all flights were scheduled to depart.

The representative said that American Airlines have allowed people traveling between December 28 to January 2 to change their tickets without penalty.

But she advised travellers to stay in touch with the airline and call before leaving for the airport to see if their flight is operating as scheduled.

The storm currently paralysing the United States is blamed for at least 37 deaths.

A thick coat of ice stretching from New Mexico to Arkansas has also created a massive traffic jam in Texas and left hundreds of thousands of people without power.

In the south, officials said 425,000 people were still without electricity on Thursday because of ice-damaged power lines and that many could remain in the dark for at least another week.

And another storm, or "Alberta Clipper'' as they are known, is brewing in the northern plains of the continent promising more cold temperatures, snow and ice.

The UK has also been blanketed with snow over the last few days, ranging from a dusting in London, to a foot in western Scotland.

Glasgow airport was closed on Thursday, and London's Heathrow and Gatwick airport's were operating restricted flights.