The National Hurricane Center on Wednesday said Tropical Storm Humberto formed in the Atlantic, a tropical depression could form later this week near the Bahamas and Hurricane Gabrielle was headed to the Azores.

The eighth named storm of the season took shape in the central tropical Atlantic.

As of 5 p.m. EDT it was located about 550 miles east-northeast of the Caribbean’s northern Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph moving west-northwest at 15 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extend out 45 miles.

It’s currently no threat to land, but is forecast to grow into a hurricane by Saturday.

“A west-northwest to northwest motion is expected over the next several days with a slower forward speed,” forecasters said. “Steady strengthening is forecast during the next several days.”

Closer to Florida and potentially the ninth named storm of the year is a tropical wave labeled Invest 94L.

As of the NHC’s 2 p.m. tropical outlook, it was producing increased yet still disorganized stormy conditions across the Caribbean’s Windward and Leeward Islands.

The system had moved into the northeastern Caribbean Sea since Tuesday and was forecast to move west-northwest at 10 to 15 mph. It was also forecast to dump heavy rains and bring gusty winds into Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands through Wednesday with conditions worsening over the Dominican Republic by Wednesday night.

“The system is then expected to slow down and turn northwestward when it reaches the southwestern Atlantic late this week,” forecasters said. “Environmental conditions are forecast to be more conducive for development in a few days, and a tropical depression is likely to form when the disturbance is in the vicinity of the Bahamas.”

An Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft traveled to the system Wednesday afternoon.

The NHC warned interests in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas should monitor the system’s progress.

Forecasters gave it a 30% chance to develop in the next two days, and 80% in the next seven.

If it were to become a named storm, it could be Tropical Storm Imelda.

The National Weather Service in Melbourne said it’s too early to tell if the system will be any threat to Florida aside from poor beach and boating conditions.

“The tropics are becoming more active with multiple disturbances to monitor,” the NWS stated. “It is a good reminder that we are in the peak of hurricane season and to have an emergency plan in place. Residents and visitors should continue to monitor the forecast for updates.”

Hurricane Gabrielle's forecast path as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. (NHC) As for Hurricane Gabrielle, its forecast path has prompted a hurricane warning for the Azores.

As of the NHC’s 5 p.m. advisory, the storm still had 100 mph sustained winds, making it a Category 2 hurricane located about 1,010 miles west of the Azores headed east at 28 mph.

Hurricane-force winds extend out 45 miles while tropical-storm-force winds extend out 160 miles from its center.

“On the forecast track, the center of Gabrielle will approach the Azores during the day on Thursday, and move across the island chain late Thursday into early Friday,” forecasters said. “Some weakening is forecast during the next few days, but Gabrielle is forecast to be at hurricane strength when it passes through the Azores..”

The system is projected to bring dangerous storm surge and wind to the islands as well as 3-5 inches of rain.

The NHC also warned swells from the system will continue to slam into Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast from North Carolina northward, including Atlantic Canada, with potential life-threatening surf and rip conditions.

The climatological peak of the Atlantic hurricane season was on Sept. 10, but 60% of annual activity has historically happened after this date, the NHC stated.

The only other hurricane this season had been Hurricane Erin, which grew into a massive Category 5 system with 160 mph winds but remained in the Atlantic without making landfall.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in early August updated its season forecast to call for 13-18 named storms this year, of which five to nine would grow into hurricanes. Two to five of those would develop into major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

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