Overview
- Gabrielle is bringing hurricane‑force conditions to the Azores on Friday, with official warnings for violent winds, very high surf, and torrential rain.
- Authorities in the islands have restricted access to seafront areas and closed some roads in Ponta Delgada as forecasters caution residents to shelter and avoid the coast.
- Peak gust projections vary between roughly 150 and 200 km/h, with widespread rainfall totals in the 75–125 mm range and dangerous seas reported by multiple outlets and services.
- Forecast guidance indicates the system will weaken to a post‑tropical storm as it approaches Portugal and Spain around Sunday, with Meteored placing the likely center between Lisbon and Cape St. Vincent and Aemet flagging strong winds and heavy rain, especially in western Andalusia and Extremadura; waves of 5–6 meters are possible in the Gulf of Cádiz.
- Meteorologists warn of flash floods, landslides, and mudflows—particularly in areas scarred by 2025 wildfires—while noting the storm’s unusually far‑east track over a warmer‑than‑average Atlantic and potential knock‑on effects that could bring warmer, settled weather to parts of Germany next week.