 As Tropical Storm Arlene tracked towards Bermuda , residents on the island were advised to take precautions and board up their homes . This followed the issuance of a tropical storm advisory for the island . On August 12 , Arlene produced squally weather throughout Bermuda as the outer bands impacted the region . Rainfall from the storm peaked at 1 @.@ 65 in ( 42 mm ) . A blind sailor was caught in the storm for two days while trying to become the first blind man to cross the Atlantic Ocean alone . On August 14 , he encountered the full @-@ force of the storm , 12 ft ( 3 @.@ 7 m ) seas and 60 mph ( 97 km / h ) winds battered his 36 ft ( 11 m ) foot @-@ sloop called the Eye Opener while trying to dock in Bermuda . The forced docking at Bermuda cost the sailor roughly US $ 8 @,@ 000 due to damages from the storm . On August 14 , Arlene brushed Bermuda , producing torrential rains , rough seas and gusty winds . The center of the storm remained far enough offshore that only minor damage occurred on the island . On August 26 , the extratropical remnants of Arlene impacted Spain , bringing 1 @.@ 25 in ( 32 mm ) to Rota , surpassing the highest rainfall for the month of August set in 1971 . The remnant moisture from Arlene continued through the Mediterranean Sea and produced heavy rains across Italy on August 27 . 
