A storm brewing off the East Coast in the US looks set to bring high winds and rain to the island over the weekend, just days after a cold front brought temperatures down.

The major storm is forecast to ramp up off the coast of the Carolinas on Saturday, bringing another dump of snow and freezing temperatures to the US southeast — with a reach deep enough into the Atlantic to send increasingly high winds to the island on Saturday night and Sunday.

The Bermuda Weather Service, which issued a gale warning for Saturday evening, said the complex low-pressure system would bring powerful southwesterly winds up to gale force, with storm-force gusts possible later on Sunday.

It was also expected to deliver more rain — with blustery conditions expected to persist into early next week.

Winds are expected to be 28mph to 40mph, with gusts to 52mph towards Saturday evening before reducing slightly overnight.

They are expected to pick up again on Sunday, reaching 40 to 52mph, with gusts to 70mph knots in the afternoon before decreasing overnight.

Conditions are then expected to improve on Monday, according to the Bermuda Weather Service.

The storm comes after a frontal system from a formidable winter storm that swept across North America this week put an end to an unseasonable spell of warmth, leaving many Bermudians shivering.

Islanders took to social media as temperatures dropped well below 60F (15C).

On X, one user posted: “I don’t know if it’s colder inside my house or outside at this point. It's a tight race. But I need warmth.” Another asked: “When did Bermuda get this cold?”

The midweek drop in temperature paled in comparison with the conditions in North America, which hit more than 200 million people. Pearson Airport in Toronto set a snowfall record, and icy conditions blanketed the Atlantic seaboard, while hundreds of flights were cancelled, including some to Bermuda.

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