Gabrielle Headed Toward Azores as Major Hurricane

Hurricane Gabrielle rapidly intensified earlier in the week and is now a major hurricane in the north‑central Atlantic about 1,285 miles west of the Azores, with maximum sustained winds near 115 mph and moving east‑northeast at roughly 25 mph. Forecasters expect Gabrielle to bring hurricane conditions to parts of the Azores before gradually weakening, but its large swells are already producing dangerous surf and rip currents from Bermuda up the U.S. East Coast into Atlantic Canada. Astronaut photographs from the International Space Station have captured the storm's broad, churning structure. The National Hurricane Center is also monitoring two other disturbances (AL93 and AL94) with high chances of development over the next week; one is likely to track northward out to sea while the other, nearer the northeastern Caribbean and Bahamas, could develop and potentially approach Florida depending on steering currents and interactions. Computer models show a wide range of possible tracks and interactions, and Hurricane Hunter flights are planned to gather better data. Forecasters urge coastal residents from the Caribbean to the U.S. Southeast and Atlantic Canada to stay updated for evolving surf, rip‑current, wind and rain threats.