Humberto strengthens into hurricane in Atlantic as Gabrielle moves away from Azores

Humberto strengthened into a hurricane Friday in the Atlantic, with maximum sustained winds near 90 mph, and was on a path toward potential major hurricane status later this weekend, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm was about 450 miles northeast of the northern Leeward Islands and was moving slowly toward the northwest.

Forecasters warned that Humberto’s intensification could generate dangerous swells, rip currents and surf along the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Bermuda as it strengthens. The center cautioned that the exact track and intensity remained uncertain, and residents along the Atlantic seaboard should monitor advisories for updates.

To Humberto’s west, a tropical disturbance near Hispaniola and eastern Cuba is expected to become a tropical depression near the Bahamas over the weekend. The system has already produced heavy rains in the Dominican Republic, prompting evacuations and red alerts in five provinces. Flooding has cut off dozens of communities by landslides and washed out bridges, including a collapse in Yamasá that killed a driver. In Azua, at least 774 people were displaced by rising floodwaters, with 26 housed in shelters, according to Civil Defense authorities.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency urged residents of coastal Southeast U.S. communities to monitor the developing weather system and prepare for possible impacts. Officials in South Carolina and other states along the coast began coordinating preparations; Charleston Fire Marshal Michael Julazadeh said authorities were treating the disturbance as potentially disruptive and continuing to plan for multiple scenarios.

Gabrielle, by Friday afternoon, had weakened to a post-tropical cyclone and moved away from the Azores as warnings were discontinued for the Portuguese archipelago. The center of the storm was about 245 miles east-northeast of Lajes Air Base, with maximum sustained winds near 65 mph and higher gusts. Some strengthening was forecast through Friday night, but weakening was expected over the weekend as Gabrielle tracked toward Portugal’s coast early Sunday. Swells from Gabrielle were expected to reach Portugal, northwestern Spain and northern Morocco on Saturday.

In the Pacific, Hurricane Narda remained about 880 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, moving west-northwest at 15 mph; it was a Category 1 storm and was forecast to maintain its strength Friday before weakening over the weekend. Swells generated by Narda were affecting southwestern and west-central Mexico and Baja California Sur, with forecasts that life-threatening surf and rip currents could reach Southern California by the weekend.

Forecasters stressed that forecast confidence remains lower beyond a few days, and residents from the southeast U.S. coast to Atlantic islands should watch for updates from the NHC and local authorities as the weekend approaches.