The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane warning for the Azores as Hurricane Gabrielle barrels toward the Portuguese-controlled islands.

Gabrielle had maximum sustained winds of 115 mph Wednesday morning, making it a Category 3 hurricane. At its peak, it reached Category 4 strength. The storm formed as a tropical storm nearly a week ago and became a hurricane over the weekend.

Gabrielle developed after an unusually quiet stretch in the Atlantic basin during the peak of hurricane season. The Atlantic went three weeks without a named storm amid what is typically the busiest time of year for tropical system activity.

The hurricane is expected to weaken before striking the islands but could bring hurricane-force winds and flooding rains. After impacting the Azores, it could reac

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