Nicole is now a Cat 3, the third Major of the season in the Atlantic basin.

Bermuda is not very surge prone from storms approaching from the south, as Nicole is, but given that much of this island is relatively elevated, winds are likely going to be higher than those "at the surface" - and potentially a full category higher.

To its credit, the nation's building codes have resulted in structures designed to withstand winds up to Cat 2, but Nicole is now a strengthening Cat 3, and depending on its exact path, these brutal winds may impact them, especially at the many elevated locations.