Officials in Bermuda urged residents to "prepare for the worst " as Hurricane Leslie headed towards the British territory bringing with it powerful winds and heavy rains.

Bermuda has closed public schools for Friday and is making preparations for the approaching storm.

"Leslie could be a historic storm for Bermuda as it is very large and forecast to intensify rapidly as it approaches," Bermuda's Emergency Measures Organization said in a statement. "The island could experience hurricane force winds for a sustained period of time, possibly up to two days."

The Category 1 storm was about 445 miles (715 kilometers) south-southeast of Bermuda, moving north at 2 mph (4 kph) early Thursday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.