Hurricane Rafael draws bead on Bermuda Bermuda, under a tropical storm warning, braced for Hurricane Rafael's center to pass east of the island Tuesday afternoon into the evening, forecasters said. (courtesy National Weather Service/National Hurricane Center) MIAMI, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Bermuda, under a tropical storm warning, braced for Hurricane Rafael's center to pass east of the island Tuesday afternoon into the evening, forecasters said. Rafael, a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, was about 345 miles south of Bermuda, moving north-northeast at 16 mph, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its 8 a.m. Rafael was forecast to turn toward the northeast with an increase in forward speed by Tuesday night. Forecasters said the hurricane was expected to begin weakening by Wednesday morning. Hurricane-force winds extended outward from center up to 45 mph and tropical storm-force winds extended outward up to 205 miles. Rafael was expected to produce 2-4 inches of rain across Bermuda. Swells generated by Rafael are expected to affect Bermuda, the eastern-facing beaches of the Bahamas and parts of the U.S. East Coast for the next couple of days, the hurricane center said.