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Tropical Storm Gabrielle forms in Atlantic Ocean
FOX 13 meteorologist Jim Weber shares the latest conditions in the tropics as Tropical Storm Gabrielle has formed in the Atlantic Ocean. Weber says this storm is likely going to develop into a hurricane.
TAMPA, Fla. - Tropical Storm Gabrielle formed in the Central Atlantic on Wednesday morning.
What we know:
Gabrielle is currently a very disorganized tropical storm with ragged convection and sustained winds of 45 MPH.
The storm will be fighting off Saharan dust before entering into a more favorable environment with warmer waters by the weekend. This will likely give it enough of a window for it to strengthen into a hurricane.
This is not a threat to Florida and should stay well east of the United States. Bermuda is now within the forecast cone and will need to monitor the progress of Gabrielle.
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Separate from Gabrielle, there are two other areas of potential development we are now monitoring.
A tropical wave passing south of the Cabo Verde Islands will have a small chance to become a named storm wihin the next week.
Behind the Cabo Verde disturbance, a second tropical wave is expected to emerge off the African coastline later this week. It will also have a low chance of formation within the next seven days.
FOX 13 Meteorologist Dave Osterberg says the storm will strengthen into a hurricane.
He said down the road, the only land it is expected to impact would potentially be the island of Bermuda.
However, Osterberg noted that it is very difficult for a storm to make a direct impact on Bermuda.
He said meteorologists are in a watch-and-wait pattern for the storm, but added that by 2 a.m. on Monday, it will be far off the eastern coast of the United States as it begins turning toward the north.
What they're saying:
"This is going to be one of those storms that gets a name, but more than likely, isn’t going to bother anybody," Ostberg explained. "We’ll watch it but all the computer models pretty much say the same thing- it’s moving out to sea and to the north."
The next name on our 2025 storm naming list would be Humberto.
The Source: This story was written by Nash Rhodes and some information is based on Dave Osterberg's forecast and from the National Hurricane Center.