Sept. 17 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Gabrielle is strengthening and expected to reach hurricane status this weekend, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest update Friday.

Maximum sustained winds were at about 50 mph, with higher gusts, as of the latest update issued at 11 a.m. AST.

The storm is moving at about 12 mph and is expected to continue in a northwest direction through Saturday.

Forecasters earlier in the week called Gabrielle a “poorly organized” Tropical Storm as it continued to form over the Atlantic Ocean.

“A gradual turn towards the north-northwestward is expected by Saturday night, followed by a northward motion by Sunday night,” the weather center said in the update.

“On the forecast track, the center of Gabrielle is expected to pass east of Bermuda Sunday night and Monday.”

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.

Tropical-storm-force winds were extending around 150 miles from the storm’s center on Friday.

“Swells generated by Gabrielle are expected to reach Bermuda tonight and build through the weekend. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” the National Hurricane Center said in its update.

Gabrielle is the 7th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

Last month, Erin became a Category 5 Hurricane with with 160-mph winds spreading over 500 miles.