Former Hurricane Gabrielle brought wind and rain to the Azores on Thursday night.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of former Hurricane Gabrielle was located at latitude 37.8°N and longitude 29.3°W which put the center about 65 miles (105 km) south-southwest of Faial Island, the Azores.  Gabrielle was moving toward the east-northeast at 29 m.p.h. (46 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 985 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for all of the Azores.

Former Hurricane Gabrielle made a transition to a strong extratropical cyclone on Thursday.  Gabrielle moved over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 23°C.  It moved under the southern extent of the upper level westerly winds in the middle latitudes.  Those upper level westerly winds cause strong vertical wind shear.  The cooler Sear Surface temperatures and strong vertical wind shear caused former Hurricane Gabrielle to make the transition to a strong extratropical cyclone.

The structure of former Hurricane Gabrielle changed as Gabrielle made the transition to an extratropical cyclone.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 160 miles (260 km) from the center of Gabrielle’s circulation.

Former Hurricane Gabrielle will continue to produce strong winds and locally heavy rain in the Azores on Friday.  Heavy rain could cause floods in some locations.

The westerly winds in the middle latitudes will steer former Hurricane Gabrielle quickly toward the east during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Gabrielle could reach Portugal on Sunday.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Humberto strengthened northeast of the Leeward Islands.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Humberto was located at latitude 22.2°N and longitude 57.1°W which put the center about 475 miles (765 km) northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands.  Humberto was moving toward the northwest at 3 m.p.h. (5 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 998 mb.