Tropical Storm Gabrielle continues to move west. Does NC need to worry?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Tropical Storm Gabrielle remains weak and poorly organized over open Atlantic waters.
- Forecasters expect gradual intensification if the storm survives into next week.
- Gabrielle poses no current threat to U.S. coast, with no watches or warnings issued.
Update: Find our latest story on Gabrielle here.
Tropical Storm Gabrielle is still moving toward the U.S. East Coast, but it is not expected to intensify much over the next couple of days.
Meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center said that on Thursday morning, Sept. 18, the storm had a poor structure, and intensification is likely to remain the same or weaken in the immediate future, as it moves toward the west-northwest.
As of 11 a.m. Thursday, the storm was about 755 miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands and had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.
However, the National Hurricane Center said the storm, if it survives, should move into conditions that will encourage it to organize and strengthen into early next week, with gradual intensification starting over the weekend.
The forecast calls for the storm to turn northwest this weekend. Meteorologists have less confidence in longer-term forecasts, but Gabrielle’s current expected path stays far from the U.S.
Gabrielle is the seventh named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which continues through Nov. 30. The National Hurricane Center continues to track a tropical wave along the west coast of Africa that has a low chance of developing over the next seven days, according to the hurricane center.
Gabrielle’s threats to NC
No coastal watches or warnings related to Gabrielle were in effect as of mid-day Thursday. Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 290 miles away from Gabrielle’s center, but that does not encompass any land area.
The National Weather Service office in Wilmington did not have any watches, warnings or advisories in effect.
The Newport/Morehead City office said a moderate rip current risk for the northern Outer Banks was in effect through Thursday evening, but did not expect any hazardous weather later in the week into early next week.
A moderate rip current risk indicates that life-threatening rip currents are possible in the surf zone.
This story was originally published September 18, 2025 at 2:42 PM.
