The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that storm Gabrielle has strengthened into a Category 4 super typhoon as it moves across the Atlantic. The sustained wind speed is 220 km/h, gusting higher, making the storm the most dangerous weather phenomenon in the region since the beginning of 2025.
The center of Gabrielle is currently located about 77km southwest of the Azores and is expected to approach the archipelago on the night of September 25 or the morning of September 26 (local time). The meteorological agency warned that the storm will cause heavy rain, strong gusts of wind and high waves, directly threatening the lives and property of island residents.
The Portuguese government has issued a red alert - the highest level - for the entire Azores region. Rescue forces have deployed evacuation plans, especially in low-lying areas and coastal areas. Rainfall is forecast to exceed 150mm in some areas, while high tides and high waves may reach 6-7m.
People are required to prepare necessities, reinforce their homes and follow safety instructions. Hundreds of flights to and from the Azores have been delayed or canceled. Many public services have been temporarily closed.
In the US, the National Hurricane Center warned that although Gabrielle is unlikely to make landfall, it could still cause large waves and dangerous offshore flows along the East Coast, from Florida to New England.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific, a tropical depression has just formed and quickly been named Narda. The Mexico Meteorological Agency said Narda could strengthen into a storm in the next 24 hours, bringing heavy rain and the risk of flash flooding in the western coastal states.
The simultaneous appearance of two strong storms/tropical depressions in the two oceans once again raised concerns about extreme weather trends due to climate change. Experts emphasized that super typhoon Gabrielle is clear evidence of the increasing intensity and frequency of extreme meteorological phenomena.
This is one of the strongest storms to hit the Azores in decades, a meteorological official in Lisbon said. He said that the government and people need to be highly vigilant because the risk of damage is very high.
Gabrielle is now the strongest Atlantic storm to hit the Atlantic since the start of this year, following a series of severe disasters affecting the entire world. International meteorological organizations predict that the storm will gradually weaken after sweeping across the Azores but will continue to maintain a level of danger in the next few days.
