Hurricane Gabrielle is a powerful Category 4 hurricane in the central Subtropical Atlantic; while it is of no threat to Bermuda or North America, it is expected to approach the Azores as a hurricane in a couple of days. Due to that forecast track, a Hurricane Watch has been issued for all of the Azores islands.

As of the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida, Gabrielle was located about 445 miles east-northeast of Bermuda and about 1,710 miles west of the Azores. Maximum sustained winds are 130 mph while the minimum central pressure is 952 mb or 28.12″. The storm is moving to the east-northeast at 20 mph.

The Azores are under a Hurricane Watch which means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.

While Gabrielle is moving toward the east-northeast near 20 mph now, the NHC says a faster east-northeastward motion is expected through Thursday. On the forecast track, the center of Gabrielle will begin approaching the Azores during the day on Thursday, and move across the island chain overnight into Friday. Gabrielle is still a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Gradual weakening is expected during the next couple of days.

A dangerous storm surge is expected to produce significant coastal flooding near the areas of onshore winds where the center makes landfall. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

From Thursday into Friday morning, Gabrielle may bring 3-5″ of rainfall across the central and western Azores. During the same time outer bands from Gabrielle may also result in 1-2″ of rain across the eastern Azores.

Swells generated by Gabrielle will continue to affect Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast from North Carolina northward, and Atlantic Canada over the next few days. These swells are expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.