Post-tropical Gabrielle expected to reach Europe, North Africa after rare direct hit on Azores
The government is not reporting any injuries but said the roof of the Graciosa Airport was damaged. Government officials said a wind gust of 114.9 mph was recorded on Terceira Island.
Post-tropical Gabrielle expected to reach Europe, North Africa after rare direct hit on Azores
Gabrielle is no longer a hurricane, having gained fronts, and has been designated post-tropical. While it didn't make landfall in the Azores as a hurricane, impact-wise it brought .hurricane-force wind gusts, storm surge and heavy rain. This storm system will be strong enough to to reach Europe and North Africa.
PONTA DELGADA, Azores – Post-tropical Gabrielle made a rare landfall on the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean as a powerful post-tropical cyclone Thursday evening bringing hurricane-force wind gusts, storm surge and heavy rain to the island chain.
A post-tropical cyclone is a cyclone that no longer possesses tropical characteristics that define a hurricane, such as a warm core, according to the NHC.
Government officials in the Azores said a wind gust of 114.9 mph was recorded on Terceira Island. Additionally, Graciosa Island recorded about 2.5 inches of rain as of Friday morning.
The government is not reporting any injuries but said the roof of the Graciosa Airport was damaged. Trees were downed across parts of the island and 16 people were forced from their homes during the storm.
While Gabrielle has lost its tropical characteristics and is pulling away from the Azores, the NHC said the storm will reach Portugal by early Sunday.
(FOX Weather)
As of the latest advisory from the NHC, Gabrielle still has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and is currently located roughly 255 miles east of the Azores, moving off to the east at a rather fast rate of 29 mph.
Steady weakening is expected over the next few days.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, only 15 hurricanes are documented to have passed within 50 miles of the island chain since 1850.
Only four hurricanes have made landfall on the Azores: Gordon (2012), Carrie (1957) and two unarmed storms in 1940 and 1926.
Watch: Hurricane Hunters fly into Hurricane Gabrielle’s eye
A video shared by NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters shows crews flying into the eye of Hurricane Gabrielle over the Atlantic Ocean on Sept. 22, 2025.
Behind Hurricane Gabrielle, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is also monitoring Tropical Storm Humberto and Invest 94L in the Atlantic.
The increase in tropical activity in the Atlantic comes after a weekslong lull in activity as we enter the final months of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.
(FOX Weather)