Gabrielle — 2025

Gabrielle formed from a tropical wave that left the coast of Africa on 12 September and became Tropical Storm Gabrielle near 1800 UTC 17 September about 800 nautical miles east of the northern Leeward Islands. The system moved generally west-northwest and northwest, turned north as it strengthened, and recurved northeast of the Leeward Islands and Bermuda. Gabrielle reached its peak on 23 September, then turned east‑northeast, weakened over cooler waters and higher wind shear, lost tropical characteristics by 1800 UTC 25 September a few hundred nautical miles west‑southwest of the Azores, and the remnant low moved through the Azores and into northern Portugal before dissipating at the end of September. Gabrielle did not make tropical cyclone landfall in the tropical Atlantic or on Bermuda. As a post-tropical system the center passed through the Azores island chain early on 26 September. Warnings had been issued for all of the Azores beginning 23–24 September while Gabrielle approached; the warning was discontinued on 26 September when the worst of the wind threat had passed. The hurricane’s maximum sustained winds peaked at 120 knots (about 138 mph) near 0000 UTC 23 September, with an estimated minimum central pressure of 944 mb. That peak corresponds to a Category 4 on the Saffir‑Simpson scale. Aircraft and satellite data supported the peak intensity, with flight‑level winds and satellite analyses used to estimate surface winds. Storm surge impacts were not reported in the Atlantic basin. Rainfall over the Azores was modest, with the highest reported total 60.9 mm (2.4 inches) at Graciosa. Selected Azores station observations during the post‑tropical passage included sustained winds up to 43 kt and gusts as high as 83 kt at Faial; Terceira recorded a minimum sea‑level pressure of 984.5 mb and an elevated mountain station on Terceira reported a gust to 100 kt. No direct deaths or injuries were reported in connection with Gabrielle, and reported damage across the Azores was generally light: closures of government and school buildings, fallen trees and power poles, and some roof damage. Media reports indicated the remnants of Gabrielle later combined with another storm to produce historic flooding in Ibiza, but that flooding was associated with the non‑tropical remnants and a separate mid‑latitude system. Notable points include a rapid intensification episode that began late on 21 September as Gabrielle developed a well‑defined eye, which made intensity forecasting more challenging; NHC intensity forecast errors were larger than recent averages because of that rapid strengthening. Forecasts of the cyclone’s genesis location were accurate, and NHC track forecasts generally outperformed most guidance through 96 hours.