Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle formed over the Coral Sea on Tuesday night. At 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle was located at latitude 15.7°S and longitude 153.3°E which put it about 230 miles (370 km) east-northeast of Willis Island. Gabrielle was moving toward the south-southwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 995 mb.

A low pressure system over the Coral Sea strengthened on Tuesday night and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology designated the system as Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the northern and eastern side of the center of Gabrielle’s circulation. Other bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of circulation. Storms near the center generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 65 miles (105 km) from the center of Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle.

Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Gabrielle will move over over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will move under the center of an upper level ridge over the Coral Sea. The upper level winds are weak near the center of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle will intensify during the next 24 hours. Gabrielle could intensify rapidly at times and it could strengthen to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon.

Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle will move around the western end of a high pressure system over the Southwest Pacific Ocean during the next 24 hours. The high pressure system will steer Gabrielle toward the south. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle will remain east of Australia. An upper level trough over Australia will steer Gabrielle toward the southeast later this week.