Major Hurricane Gabrielle continues to gather strength

Sept. 22 (UPI) – Gabrielle, already a major hurricane, continued to strengthen Monday night as it passed east of Bermuda, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported.

The eye of the storm was located about 220 miles east of Bermuda and was moving northeast at 13 mph, according to the NHC’s 11 p.m. AST update. Gabrielle’s maximum sustained winds had increased to 140 mph, up 20 mph from Monday morning, making it a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

No coastal watches or warnings were in effect at the time. However, interests in Bermuda and the Azores were urged to monitor Gabrielle’s progress closely.

Gabrielle had been traveling northwest before turning north toward Bermuda as it gained strength last week. On Monday, the storm shifted to an eastward track. Forecasters said Gabrielle is expected to continue moving away from Bermuda Monday night and into Tuesday, but it is forecast to approach the Azores late Thursday.

“Interests in the Azores should monitor the progress of Gabrielle, though it is too soon to specify the magnitude of potential wind, rainfall, and wave impacts,” the NHC stated in a late Monday discussion.

The NHC’s update also noted that Gabrielle is expected to maintain its strength through Tuesday, followed by gradual weakening into Wednesday. While the hurricane is forecast to remain well east of Bermuda, the swells it generates are likely to affect the island over the next few days.

Additionally, the swells from Gabrielle will continue to impact the U.S. eastern coast from North Carolina northward, as well as Atlantic Canada. These swells are expected to persist through early this week.

“These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” the NHC warned.

Gabrielle is the seventh named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. Last month, Hurricane Erin reached Category 5 strength with 160-mph winds extending over 500 miles.

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/tropical-storm-gabrielle-forms-open-212918496.html