“Residents of the Azores archipelago were advised today to monitor the progress of Hurricane Gabrielle, now a Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean,” said the National Hurricane Center.
Gabrielle had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 kph) this afternoon as it moved east-southeast of Bermuda, according to a statement from the hurricane center.
This hurricane was located 180 miles (290 kilometers) from Bermuda and was moving north-northeast.
Despite the hurricane’s current location, meteorologists project that the system will continue moving north and east in the coming days and could approach the Azorean islands by the end of the week. Although Gabrielle remains more than 2,000 miles (3,230 kilometers) west of the Azores, intense monitoring is urged.
Meteorologists stated in the release that no significant change in Gabrielle’s wind strength is expected tonight, and it could gradually weaken on Tuesday and Wednesday. The system is also expected to increase its forward speed over the next few hours.
The NHC also indicated that Gabrielle would impact the U.S. eastern coast, from North Carolina northward, as well as Atlantic Canada, with large waves creating hazardous conditions and rip currents.
No coastal watches or warnings are in effect currently, although authorities have urged the Bermuda population to stay alert to the cyclone’s progress.
The NHC warned that waves generated by the hurricane would continue to affect Bermuda in the coming days.
Seven cyclones have formed in the Atlantic this year: Hurricane Erin and storms Andrea, Barry, Dexter, Fernand, and Chantal. The latter was the only one to make landfall in the United States, causing two deaths in July in North Carolina. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted an “above-normal” hurricane season, estimating between 13 and 18 tropical storms, with five to nine potentially becoming hurricanes.
This afternoon, the Azores Meteorological Forecast and Surveillance Center of the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) reported that tropical cyclone Gabrielle is approximately 3,000 kilometers southwest of the Western group (Flores and Corvo) of the Azores, “moving north-northwest, and is expected to intensify over the next few hours.”
According to the latest update, the cyclone’s center is expected to pass between the Western (Flores and Corvo) and Central (Terceira, Graciosa, Pico, São Jorge, and Faial) groups on Friday, and is classified as a Category 1 Hurricane, stated Elsa Vieira, a meteorologist with the Azores IPMA delegation.
If the trajectory holds, a worsening of weather conditions is predicted for all islands as the cyclone approaches the archipelago, the entity warned.
