Sept. 17 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Gabrielle is strengthening and is expected to reach hurricane status either Saturday night or Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The storm’s center was located about 575 miles north-northeast of the Leeward Islands and about 500 miles south of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, while moving northwesterly at 10 mph, the NHC said during its 5 p.m. AST advisory.
Tropical storm-force winds extend up to 140 miles outward from the storm’s center and mostly to the east.
The NHC expects Gabrielle to continue on its current track through Saturday night, followed by a turn toward north-northeast on Sunday.
Forecasters predict the storm will continue gaining strength and as it passes east of Bermuda on Sunday night or early Monday.
Gabrielle likely will make another turn to the north and northeast on Monday or Monday night.
Forecasters earlier in the week called Gabrielle a “poorly organized” tropical storm as it continued to form over the Atlantic Ocean.
Gabrielle sat just over 900 miles from Bermuda on Friday, and local news outlets on the island were warning of the potential impact, although there were hopes the storm could pass around 200 miles east of the island.
Gabrielle is the seventh named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.
Last month, Erin became a Category 5 Hurricane with 160-mph winds spreading over 500 miles.