Projected path for Tropical Storm Gabrielle as of Sept. 18, 2025.
Satellite image of Tropical Storm Gabrielle 6 a.m. Sept. 18, 2025.

Editor's Note: The system in the Atlantic could become Tropical Storm Gabrielle. See the latest update for Friday, Sept. 19.

Tropical Storm Gabrielle is struggling in the central Atlantic Ocean currently but is expected to strengthen into a hurricane late this upcoming weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters said in an advisory on Sept. 18 that Gabrielle was located about 845 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds near 50 mph with higher gusts. The hurricane center said "little change in strength" is forecast during the next 48 hours, however some gradual intensification is forecast late in the weekend.

Gabrielle is moving west-northwest near 15 mph, and a west-northwest or northwest motion is expected during the next few days, forecasters said.

Gabrielle is the 7th named storm to form in the Atlantic basin this year. It's the first named storm in the Atlantic since Aug. 28, an "unprecedented dry spell" in the heart of what's typically the most active part of the hurricane season, according to WPLG-TV hurricane specialist Michael Lowry.

Most of the computer models that meteorologists use to forecast storms show Gabrielle staying far out to sea and not directly affecting U.S. shores. Forecasters warn that it could impact Bermuda by later next week, however.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic, the hurricane center said it is tracking a tropical wave that is forecast to move off the west coast of Africa by Friday morning, Sept. 19. Forecasters said some slow development of this system is possible over the weekend through the middle of next week as it moves west-northwestward across the Atlantic.

Tropical Storm Gabrielle tracker

This forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time.

Tropical Storm Gabrielle spaghetti models

Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest-performing models to help make its forecasts

Tropical depression likely to form in the Pacific soon

Hurricane center forecasters also said in an early morning advisory on Sept. 18 they are keeping an eye on a broad area of low pressure located a few hundred miles southwest of the southwestern coast of Mexico.

The system is producing a "large area of showers and thunderstorms," and although a tropical depression is likely to form during the next day or two, the system is forecast to encounter "progressively cooler oceanic surface temperatures and a drier, stable airmass" over the weekend, forecasters said, which should limit any additional development beyond that.

How do hurricanes form?

Hurricanes are born in the tropics, above warm water. Clusters of thunderstorms can develop over the ocean when water temperatures exceed 80 degrees. If conditions are right, the clusters swirl into a storm known as a tropical wave or tropical depression.

A tropical depression becomes a named tropical storm once its sustained wind speeds reach 39 mph. When its winds reach 74 mph, the storm officially becomes a hurricane.

Prepare now for hurricanes

Delaying potentially lifesaving preparations could mean waiting until it’s too late. "Get your disaster supplies while the shelves are still stocked, and get that insurance checkup early, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recommends.

  • Develop an evacuation plan. If you are at risk from hurricanes, you need an evacuation plan. Now is the time to begin planning where you would go and how you would get there.
  • Assemble disaster supplies. Whether you’re evacuating or sheltering in place, you’re going to need supplies not just to get through the storm but for a possibly lengthy aftermath, NOAA said.
  • Get an insurance checkup and document your possessions. Contact your insurance company or agent now and ask for an insurance checkup to make sure you have enough insurance to repair or even replace your home and belongings. Remember, home and renters insurance don’t cover flooding, so you’ll need a separate policy for those. Flood insurance is available through your company, agent or the National Flood Insurance Program.
  • Create a family communication plan. NOAA says you should take the time now to write down a hurricane plan and share it with your family. Determine family meeting places and make sure to include an out-of-town location in case of evacuation.
  • Strengthen your home. Now is the time to improve your home’s ability to withstand hurricanes. Trim trees and install storm shutters, accordion shutters and impact glass, and seal outside wall openings.

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tropical Storm Gabrielle could become a hurricane: See path tracker

Reporting by Gabe Hauari and Doyle Rice, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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