September 23, 2025
Web desk
Hurricane Gabrielle, a powerful Category 4 storm, is barreling across the Atlantic Ocean and now threatens the Azores, prompting a Hurricane Watch for the island chain. Located about 850 miles off the coast of Portugal, the Azores are expected to feel the storm’s impact by Thursday night, with forecasters urging residents to closely monitor updates.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Gabrielle currently has maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, maintaining its strength as a major hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Although gradual weakening is anticipated in the coming days, dangerous conditions, including strong winds and heavy swells, are expected as the storm approaches.
The hurricane has already passed safely to the east of Bermuda, where it rapidly intensified from Category 1 to Category 4 in less than 24 hours. Meanwhile, the NHC is also tracking two additional disturbances, labeled invests 93L and 94L, for potential development in the Atlantic, signaling an uptick in activity after a lull in the hurricane season.
Forecasters warn that Gabrielle’s swells will affect Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast from North Carolina northward, and parts of Atlantic Canada in the coming days. The storm is currently more than 1,700 miles west of the Azores, moving east-northeast at 20 mph, and is expected to accelerate as it nears the islands later this week.
