Havana, October 17 (RHC) -- Hurricane Gonzalo is bearing down on Bermuda on Friday. Meteorologists from the Cuban Meteorologist Institute say the storm will continue along the same path moving away from Cuba within the next 12 to 24 hours, although its exact path is unknown. Gonzalo is currently a Category 4 hurricane.

The eye of the storm is expected to pass within 29 miles of the Bermuda island as a Category 3 storm, a possible direct impact, a Bermuda weather report said.

With furious winds of up to 145 mph so far, Hurricane Gonzalo is moving north-northeast at 8.1 miles per hour.

Bermudans were still cleaning up from Tropical Storm Fay last weekend, which knocked out power to most of the island. Preparations are well underway in Bermuda, The Royal Gazette newspaper reported.