Former Tropical Storm Gabrielle intensified to a hurricane southeast of Bermuda on Sunday.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Hurricane Gabrielle was located at latitude 28.5°N and longitude 61.7°W which put the center about 320 miles (515 km) southeast of Bermuda.  Gabrielle was moving toward the north-northwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 992 mb.

NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft conducting research flights into former Tropical Storm Gabrielle found that Gabrielle had intensified to a hurricane on Sunday afternoon.

The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Hurricane Gabrielle.  A small eye appeared on microwave satellite imagery at the center of Gabrielle’s circulation.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Hurricane Gabrielle.  Storms near the center of Gabrielle generated more upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the north and east of the tropical storm.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The strongest winds were occurring in the northeastern part of Hurricane Gabrielle.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 25 miles (40 km) in the northeastern quadrant of Gabrielle’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 175 miles (280 km) in the eastern side of Hurricane Gabrielle.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles (110 km) in the western half of Gabrielle’s circulation.

Hurricane Gabrielle will move through an environment 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 in the region between an upper level low south of Bermuda and an upper level trough near the east coast of the U.S.  The upper level winds are weak between the upper level low and the upper level trough.  So, there will be little vertical wind shear.  Hurricane Gabrielle will intensify during the next 24 hours.  Gabrielle could intensify rapidly at times.

Hurricane Gabrielle will move around the western end of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Gabrielle toward the north during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Hurricane Gabrielle will pass east of Bermuda on Monday.  Gabrielle could approach the Azores by late next week.