Tropical Storm Gabrielle strengthened on Saturday as it moved over the Atlantic Ocean southeast of Bermuda.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Gabrielle was located at latitude 25.6°N and longitude 59.0°W which put the center about 580 miles (935 km) southeast of Bermuda.  Gabrielle was moving toward the northwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 996 mb.

Tropical Storm Gabrielle strengthened on Saturday.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Gabrielle’s circulation.  A small eye was visible intermittently at the center of Gabrielle’s circulation.  Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the northern and eastern parts of Tropical Storm Gabrielle.  Bands in the southern and western parts of Gabrielle’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Storms near the center of Gabrielle generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the north of the tropical storm.

The distribution of wind speeds in Tropical Storm Gabrielle continued to be asymmetrical.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (220 km) in the eastern side of Gabrielle’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 60 miles in the western side of Tropical Storm Gabrielle.

Tropical Storm Gabrielle will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Gabrielle will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C.  It will move under the eastern side of an upper level low that is south of Bermuda.  The upper level low will produce southerly winds that will blow toward the top of Gabrielle’s circulation.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear.  The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the wind shear will not be enough to prevent intensification.  Tropical Storm Gabrielle will intensify during the next 24 hours. Gabrielle is likely to strengthen to a hurricane on Sunday.

Tropical Storm Gabrielle will move around the southwestern part of a subtropical high pressure system over the eastern Atlantic Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Gabrielle toward the northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Gabrielle will pass east of Bermuda on Monday.  Gabrielle could approach the Azores by late next week.