Tropical Storm Gabrielle expected to become hurricane this weekend: NHC
Tropical Storm Gabrielle expected to become hurricane this weekend
FOX 13 meteorologist Jim Weber is tracking the latest on Tropical Storm Gabrielle.
TAMPA, Fla. - The National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Gabrielle should strengthen in the coming days, eventually becoming a hurricane.
Tropical Storm Gabrielle's track
As of 5 p.m. Friday, Gabrielle was located at 22.4N and 56.6W with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.
The tropical storm is moving northwest at 12 mph.
FOX 13 meteorologists say Gabrielle has been battling wind shear and Saharan dust over the Central Atlantic, but conditions will become more favorable for intensification as we head into the weekend.
The NHC expects the storm to become a Category 1 hurricane by Sunday, then possibly strengthen into a Category 2 hurricane by Monday as it curves away from the U.S., also staying east of Bermuda.
Other activity in the tropics
The NHC is also watching a tropical wave just off the west coast of Africa, giving it a 20% chance of development in the next seven days.
The Source: This story was written with information from FOX 13 meteorologists and the National Hurricane Center.