The captain of the Port of Horta, Amilcar Gomes Braz, has issued a notice for the closure of certain ports due to weather conditions, specifically citing “the force of the wind and the state of the sea.”
The closures will be in effect “from 00:01 to 18:00 on September 26,” according to the notice.
Hurricane Gabrielle, which will begin impacting the Azores today, has been downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane, the lowest on the scale, with forecasts indicating it will pass through the region with this intensity.
The regional delegation of the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) reports that, as of 09:00 local time (10:00 in Lisbon), the tropical cyclone was approximately 940 kilometers west of Faial Island in the Central group, moving at a speed of 52 kilometers per hour.
“Currently, Cyclone Gabrielle is classified as a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. According to the latest meteorological model results, the trajectory of the tropical cyclone Gabrielle suggests it will pass very close to or even over the Central group, maintaining its Category 1 hurricane strength,” stated meteorologist Vanda Costa.
The IPMA anticipates “a greater deterioration in weather conditions for the Central and Eastern groups than previously communicated.”
In the Central Group (Pico, Faial, Graciosa, Terceira, and São Jorge), heavy rainfall is expected, with wind gusts reaching 200 kilometers per hour from the south, shifting to the northwest, accompanied by maritime agitation with waves between eight and ten meters in significant height, with maximum waves possibly reaching 14 to 18 meters.
In the Western group (Flores and Corvo), heavy rainfall and wind gusts up to 130 kilometers per hour are also expected, with similar wave patterns as the Central group.
Both groups have been issued multiple red warnings by the IPMA—the most severe on a scale of three—between the end of today and Friday morning.
