Hurricane Gabrielle was a powerful tropical cyclone that threatened Bermuda,and later affected the Azores as a post-tropical cyclone in September 2025. The seventh named storm,second hurricane,and second major hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season,Gabrielle formed from a long-tracked tropical wave in the central Atlantic on September17. Due to dry air and wind shear that had stifled its development,the system was initially disorganized with an ill-defined center.[1][2] These same factors prevented further organization for multiple days following its formation.[3] New bursts of convection were observed on September19,and Gabrielle strengthened into a Category1 hurricane on September21. Due to favorable conditions while the storm curved east of Bermuda,it rapidly intensified into a Category3 hurricane on September22. Further strengthening occurred following the intensification,and Gabrielle reached its peak as a Category4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 948mbar (27.99inHg) that afternoon.
After reaching its peak,Gabrielle began gradually weakening due to increasing dry air and wind shear,and it became a Category3 hurricane again late on September23. Weakening continued throughout the next day,and the system dropped to Category1 intensity while approaching the Azores early on September25. Gabrielle lost all tropical characteristics later that day as it lost its deep convection. Some convection redeveloped as the center of the storm moved over the Azores on September26. That afternoon,Gabrielle fully transitioned into an extratropical cyclone while moving away from the Azores.
Meteorological history
Map plotting the storm's track and intensity,according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
On September11, a tropical wave entered the far eastern Atlantic from Africa.[4] Though generating a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms as it moved across the ocean, dry and stable air stifled any potential for tropical development for several days.[1] The disturbance became better organized on September16,[5] and became Tropical Depression Seven the following morning midway between Cabo Verde and the Windward Islands.[6] Despite having an ill-defined center with several embedded swirls, the system soon strengthened into Tropical Storm Gabrielle.[2] The center became more defined as it relocated to the north later that same day, though the storm was not noticeably more organized on satellite imagery.[7] The track of the storm also became less erratic by September18.[8] Gabrielle initially struggled to become better organized structurally due to westerly wind shear and continuous significant dry air entrainment, and appeared almost convectionless. At the time, the storm was being steered west-northwestward by a subtropical ridge over the central Atlantic.[3] The storm's cloud pattern improved markedly on the afternoon of September19, as a curved convective band pattern started to form, and the low-level center became partly covered by clouds spreading westward from new bursts of convection.[9] The storm continued to became better organized on the morning of September20, with increased curved banding over the eastern semicircle, and it began to strengthen.[10] By the morning of September21, cold convective cloud tops had begun to wrap around the circulation of the storm, and an eyewall was observed by an Air Force Reserve reconnaissance mission.[11]
Gabrielle strengthening into a major hurricane
That afternoon, Gabrielle strengthened into a Category1 hurricane.[12] Amid favorable conditions, Gabrielle rapidly intensified to a Category3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) early on September22.[13] Later that afternoon, Hurricane Hunter aircraft reconnaissance found that Gabrielle had continued to intensify, attaining Category4 status about 180mi (290km) east-southeast of Bermuda.[14] Gabrielle's sustained winds remained at that intensity into the morning of September23, while it turned east-northeastward.[15] Later, as wind shear slowly increased, the system began to weaken,[16] and the system fell below major hurricane status the following morning.[17] Further weakening continued as the system moved over cooler waters later that day,[18] and its intensity dropped to a Category1 early on September25.[19] Most of its deep convection collapsed as further weakening occurred that afternoon while Gabrielle approached the Azores.[20] Gabrielle lost tropical characteristics and dropped below hurricane intensity later that day as it no longer had any deep convection and its low-level center became partially exposed.[21] Early on September26, some deep convection redeveloped northeast of its center, likely due to an occluded frontal boundary nearby.[22] Later that morning, Gabrielle's center moved over the Azores as tropical-storm-force winds were recorded on multiple islands.[23] Gabrielle finished its extratropical transition that afternoon while moving away from the Azores.[24]
Post-tropical Gabrielle near the Azores during the evening of September 25.
A hurricane watch was issued for the Azores on September 22.[30] The watch was upgraded to a warning on September 24.[26] The IPMA issued orange and yellow alerts for all of the Azores. Flores and Corvo were placed under a red alert for precipitation. Terceira, Faial, Pico, São Jorge, and Graciosa were placed under a red alert for wind and rough seas.[31] Orange alerts were eventually issued for the eastern islands.[32] Schools and government buildings in the central and western Azores were closed for Gabrielle.[33] Ports in Madalena, Lajes, and Horta were closed.[34] The Regional Civil Protection Service organized rescue teams, medical units, and supplies in high-risk communities.[35]
Overall, Gabrielle inflicted generally minor damage in the Azores.[38]Serra de Santa Bárbara, located in the mountains of Terceira Island, reported wind gusts of 115 mph (185 km/h).[23] Sustained winds on Pico dos Santos de Cima, on São Miguel, reported sustained winds of 78 mph (125 km/h).[39] The highest rate of rainfall was recorded of Graciosa at 21 millimetres (0.83in) per hour.[40] Across the islands, trees fell, structures collapsed, and roofs were damaged.[41][42] Sixteen people were displaced due to Gabrielle including four on São Jorge, three on Faial, and one on Graciosa.[43][42][44] An aerodrome on Graciosa was damaged, inhibiting flights.[45]
Europe
Strong winds from Gabrielle increased the wildfire risk in Iberia.[44] Gabrielle brought windy and rainy conditions to the Iberian Peninsula. The south coast of the United Kingdom was plagued by rough seas.[46]
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