Fast-moving Hurricane Gabrielle to bring heavy rain and storm surge to the Azores

MIAMI (AP) — A fast-moving Hurricane Gabrielle was expected to bring heavy rain, high winds and a storm surge to the Azores islands starting Thursday night and into early Friday, forecasters said.

A hurricane warning was in effect for the all of the islands in the volcanic archipelago, which could experience dangerous conditions from Gabrielle, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said. Forecasters warned midday Thursday that preparations for the storm should be rushed to completion.

In the Northern Atlantic, Gabrielle was about 455 miles (730 kilometers) west of the Azores on Thursday afternoon. It had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) and was traveling to the east at 32 mph (52 kph).

Swells expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip current conditions will begin reaching the Azores later Thursday. Large waves from the storm were expected to continue to affect Bermuda, the northeastern coast of the U.S., and Atlantic Canada.

The storm is expected to be at hurricane strength as it passes through the Azores, then weaken through the weekend. Even after the storm’s center passes, forecasters warned that significant hurricane-force wind gusts are likely across parts of the islands.

A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves is expected to produce significant coastal flooding in areas of onshore winds. From Thursday into Friday, Gabrielle may bring up to 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain across the central Azores, which could produce flash flooding in the mountains. The eastern and western Azores could get up to 3 inches (8 centimeters) of rain.

Tropical Storm Humberto, which formed Wednesday near the Caribbean islands, was located 465 miles (750 kilometers) east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) on Thursday morning, forecasters said. It was traveling northwest at 8 mph (13 kph). Humberto was expected strengthen significantly to become a hurricane in a day or so over the central Atlantic and a major hurricane over the weekend.

A cluster of storms located west of Humberto dropped heavy rain Thursday on the Dominican Republic. On Wednesday, the disturbance caused flooding in parts of Puerto Rico, sweeping away one car and killing its driver as he attempted to cross a bridge, authorities said. The man’s body was found Thursday in the southwestern town of Yauco. The disturbance is expected to soon become a tropical storm.

In the Pacific, Hurricane Narda was moving away from Mexico, forecasters said. It had top sustained winds of about 90 mph (150 kph) Thursday morning.

Narda was about 640 miles (1,030 kilometers) southwest of the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, and was moving west-northwest at 15 mph (24 kph). No coastal watches or warnings were in effect as the hurricane was expected to continue moving further offshore.

However, Narda was expected to restrengthen and could become a Category 2 hurricane again by Friday, forecasters said.

Swells generated by Narda could bring life-threatening surf and rip current conditions to some parts of coastal Mexico, forecasters said. They were expected to spread to parts of Baja California Sur on Thursday and reach southern California over the weekend.