TS Gabrielle Likely To Reach Hurricane Strength: Latest Timing

Tropical Storm Gabrielle could become a hurricane sooner than expected, with forecasters predicting the struggling system could slam Bermuda before possibly bringing indirect impacts to the U.S.

The National Hurricane Center originally forecast Gabrielle could reach hurricane status by about 2 a.m. Monday. However, around 5 a.m. Friday, the NHC said the storm could develop into a hurricane by Sunday.

Current forecasts say it could become a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph.

"I think that if the storm is able to strengthen into a hurricane, which we currently have projected, we could see some beach issues next week, middle to end of next week, along the East Coast. And that's anywhere from Florida all the way up to New England," Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather lead hurricane expert, told the Daytona Beach News Journal. "If it really intensifies north of the Caribbean and becomes a hurricane, we do have to be concerned for some rip current risks along the east coast next week."

Gabrielle remained packing 50 mph winds on Friday as the storm swirled in the Atlantic Ocean.

With expectations that Gabrielle will pass eastern Bermuda on Sunday night, the NHC reported the system could create Friday night swells that could lead to life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. The swells are anticipated to expand through the weekend.

According to an AccuWeather report, parts of the U.S. coast could also be hit with dangerous and surf and rip currents.

As of early Friday, the NHC said it was "too soon to specify the magnitude of potential wind and rainfall impacts."

Gabrielle has been in a bout with dry air and wind shear, and could even revert to a tropical depression or rainstorm for a bit; however, AccuWeather reported the system could re-strengthen during the weekend.

"Interests in the northeastern Caribbean and Bermuda should closely monitor the progress of Gabrielle, as any shift in its track could bring wind and rain to the Leeward Islands late this week and this weekend," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said in a news release.

Gabrielle is likely to travel east of the Leeward and drop heavy rain amounts of 1-2 inches across Bermuda, AccuWeather reported.

Aside from Gabrielle, AccuWeather said it is monitoring two additional tropical developments in the Atlantic: one moving west of Africa and a struggling tropical wave that could knock on the western Caribbean's door later this month.

There has been on major hurricane this year, a category 5 Hurricane Erin that intensified in the Atlantic basin and was deemed responsible for nine deaths due to flooding in mid-August near the Cape Verde island of São Vicente.

The next name on the Atlantic hurricane list is Humberto.

Related: Hurricane Likely To Form By Weekend: See Latest Forecast