total of 11 incoming flights due in before early evening were cancelled.

A number of the flights were in Bermuda airspace as scheduled, but had to abandon attempts to land because of high winds.

Winds were gusting at speeds of up to 45 knots, according to Ken Smith, a meteorologist at the Bermuda Weather Service. "It was pretty much right across the runway,'' he told The Royal Gazette . Gale force winds were highest around noon yesterday. All the flights scheduled to arrive between late morning and 3 p.m. yesterday were cancelled.

Station manager for Air Canada, Veronica deSilva said that the airline had put on an extra flight today as a result.

Their flight from Toronto was diverted to Newark for refuelling before heading back to Toronto.

In other weather-related news, a number of cruise ships had their arrivals and departures delayed as a result of choppy seas.

Both the Norwegian Majesty and the Pacific Princess remained offshore after being unable to moor at St. George's yesterday.

And the Nordic Empress was also unable to pull into Dockyard.

The Horizon and the Zenith which have been moored on Front Street since the beginning of the week have had their departures from Hamilton delayed.