COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)- Sunday afternoon, hurricane hunters discovered that Gabrielle has strengthened into a hurricane 320 miles SE of Bermuda. As of 5PM ET, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and gusts up to 90mph. The central pressure has dropped to 992mb.
Gabrielle is currently moving to the northwest at 10mph, but a northward turn is expected on Monday. On Tuesday, a complete east turn back out to the Atlantic is still likely, causing the storm not to have a major impact on the United States. Higher swells are possible off the coast of the Carolinas over the next few days. Gabrielle, on the current track, is forecast to pass east of Bermuda on Monday.
As it makes the northern turn over the next two days, the National Hurricane Center expects Gabrielle to intensify. A major hurricane is possible by early Tuesday. This storm will be short lived. It will begin to lose steam as it tracks further north this week.
Besides Gabrielle, the NHC is actively monitoring two other areas of interest in the Atlantic.
Area 1: A broad tropical wave in the central tropical Atlantic is producing limited showers and thunderstorms. This area does not have a good environment right now, but that is expected to change later this week.
Area 2: Another tropical wave located more than 500 miles to the east of the Windward Islands is currently producing a small area of disorganized showers. The environment for this system is not favorable over the next week.
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