Additional Coverage:
Tropical Storm Gabrielle Expected to Become Hurricane by Sunday
Tropical Storm Gabrielle is gaining strength as it churns across the Atlantic and is predicted to become a hurricane by Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As of 11 a.m. Saturday, September 20, Gabrielle was located approximately 615 miles southeast of Bermuda and 540 miles northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands (Anguilla, Montserrat, and Saint Martin).
The storm is moving northwest at about 13 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and higher gusts. It’s expected to reach hurricane strength as it passes east of Bermuda beginning Sunday night.
Bermuda is already experiencing swells generated by Gabrielle, which are anticipated to intensify over the weekend, potentially creating life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Similar hazardous conditions are also expected to impact the Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Atlantic Canada, starting late this weekend and continuing into early next week.
Residents of Bermuda should prepare for wind and rainfall associated with Gabrielle.
In addition to Gabrielle, the NHC is monitoring several other systems. An eastern Atlantic tropical wave off the western coast of Africa has a low probability of development within the next seven days.
In the Eastern Pacific, a broad area of low pressure south of Mexico’s southern coast has a medium chance of developing into a tropical depression within 48 hours and a high chance within seven days. Another system, Invest 96L, located west of the Revillagigedo Islands, has a low chance of development in the next 48 hours.