A Hurricane Warning is in effect for all of the Azores for Hurricane Gabrielle. At 8:00 a.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Gabrielle was located at latitude 35.8°N and longitude 50.2°W which put the center about 1285 miles (2070 km) west of the Azores. Gabrielle was moving toward the east-northeast at 25 m.p.h. (40 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 115 m.p.h. (1850 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 135 m.p.h. (220 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 960 mb.
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for all of the Azores.
Hurricane Gabrielle was speeding toward the Azores on Wednesday morning. Gabrielle was still a major hurricane. An eye was still present at the center of Gabrielle’s circulation, but there were some clouds in the eye. The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Gabrielle’s circulation. Storms near the center of Gabrielle generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane. The removal of mass in the upper level was slightly less than the inflow of mass in the lower levels of the atmosphere. The stronger inflow of mass in the lower levels caused the surface pressure to increase gradually.
The size of the circulation around Hurricane Gabrielle did not change much during the past 24 hours. Winds to hurricane force extended out 45 miles (75 km) from the center of Gabrielle’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (225 km) from the center of Hurricane Gabrielle.
The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Gabrielle is 20.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 15.5 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 36.1. Hurricane Gabrielle is similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Delta when Delta hit Louisiana in 2020.
Hurricane Gabrielle will move through an environment that will be unfavorable for intensification of a hurricane during the next 24 hours. Gabrielle will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 26°C. It will move under the southern extent of the upper level westerly winds in the middle latitudes. Those upper level westerly winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear. Hurricane Gabrielle will continue to weaken gradually during the next 24 hours.
The upper level westerly winds in the middle latitudes will steer Hurricane Gabrielle toward the east during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Gabrielle will reach the Azores on Thursday.
Hurricane Gabrielle will bring strong winds and heavy rain to the Azores on Thursday night and Friday.
