Hurricane Likely To Form By Weekend: See Latest Forecast

Tropical Storm Gabrielle is predicted to strengthen into a hurricane, even as it struggles as it moves west-northwest across the Atlantic, forecasters said Wednesday.

The system, which is between Lesser Antilles and Africa, about 800 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands, on Thursday morning “is expected to gradually gain wind intensity and may become a hurricane late this weekend,” AccuWeather forecasters said.

The National Hurricane Center’s projections expect the system, which has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, to become a hurricane by about 2 a.m. on Monday.

Gabrielle is currently struggling to develop as it encounters factors that slow its strengthening, experts said.

“It’s battling with a hostile environment of strong wind shear and dry air, two factors that have limited tropical development in the basin over the past three weeks, despite being in the typical peak of hurricane season,” according to the Weather Channel.

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Direct impacts to the United States aren’t expected, as the system is expected to take a northward turn after it strengthens.

“A weakness in the Bermuda high and a dip in the jet stream moving off the [U.S.] East Coast should help Gabrielle curve to the north and eventually the northeast next week, steering the storm away from the US East Coast,” Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather’s lead hurricane expert, said. Gabrielle could bring some wind and rain to Bermuda on Monday.”

Bermuda could see one to two inches of rain with up to 4 inches in some areas during periods of heavy rains potentially causing localized flooding, forecasters said.

The island will likely see gusty winds of 40 to 60 mph with maximum winds of 70 mph, rough surf and dangerous rip currents.

Forecasters are also watching a tropical wave moving off Africa’s west coast that has a low chance of development over the next week.

The area has a 20 percent chance of strengthening in the next seven days, the NHC said.

While the wave is weak right now, it could develop once it reaches the western Caribbean, DaSilva said.

“Waters are exceptionally warm [in the Caribbean and Gulf,] and conditions are expected to be conducive for tropical development at the end of the month,” he said. “We will closely monitor this tropical wave for any signs of development. Conditions will be primed for potential rapid intensification if a storm forms or moves into the southern Gulf.”

There’s a low risk of development forecast for the Caribbean and into the southeastern Gulf from Sept. 26-28, AccuWeather said. Storms that develop in this area could impact the U.S. or Mexico.

Another wave is expected to move off the African coast by Friday morning, DaSilva added. “The wave will face some dry air and wind shear as it moves west.”