between two severe weather systems.

The winds, gusting up to 40 knots from the south west, would likely peter out by about 4 a.m., according to forecasters.

Last night a low pressure area off the coast of North Carolina was strengthening and moving northwards, and a high in the Atlantic was causing the winds to increase.

A United States Navy weather forecaster said last night: "We are expecting them to start decreasing around 4 a.m.

"They are barely going to be gale force, not much higher than 30-35 knots.

But it should be windy during any thunderstorms.'' During the Gale Watch, posted by the Naval Oceanography Command Facility, seas were expected to reach three to four feet inside the reef and increase to around 13 feet outside the reef.