Tropical Storm Gabrielle developed in the Atlantic Ocean Tuesday, ending a period of relative quiet. Gabrielle is over 1,000 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands with top winds nearing 45 miles per hour. No coastal watches or warnings are in effect.
The eastern side of Gabrielle is the strongest part of the storm, indicating the center is still somewhat disorganized. It’s expected to meander northwest to west-northwest across the central Atlantic and stay over open water for several days.
Looking ahead, don’t expect big changes immediately. The official forecast holds little change through Friday, with a better environment this weekend that could allow gradual strengthening. If that pans out, Gabrielle may reach hurricane strength late weekend into early next week.
Behind Gabrielle, another invest is taking shape off the African coast. It has a 20% chance at becoming a tropical depression in the next 7 days.