Hurricane Igor barrelled north-eastwards toward Canada early today, leaving behind power cuts, grounded boats and downed trees in Bermuda and kicking up dangerous surf on the US Atlantic coast.

Tropical Storm Hanna knocked out power to the southern Bahamas and authorities from Nassau to South Carolina warned residents to prepare for evacuation as it moved north, growing into a hurricane.

The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season should be “very active,” with nine hurricanes and a good chance that at least one major hurricane will hit the US coast, a top researcher said today.

A “moderate” El Nino weather system has developed in the tropical Pacific Ocean and could create unusual and severe weather patterns around the world, the UN weather agency said today.