Tropical cyclones are once again making waves across the Atlantic and Pacific basins, with Hurricane Gabrielle, Tropical Storm Humberto, and Hurricane Narda each commanding attention from meteorologists and coastal communities alike. As September 2025 draws to a close, forecasters are issuing urgent warnings and sifting through data to gauge the storms’ potential impacts on land, sea, and even far-off weather patterns.
On Wednesday, September 24, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center confirmed that Tropical Storm Humberto had formed in the Atlantic Ocean. Humberto, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, was located roughly 505 miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands. According to the Center, Humberto is expected to affect the eastern coast of the United States with winds reaching 39 mph within the next five days. While not yet a hurricane, Humberto’s projected path and strengthening potential mean it’s one to watch—especially for residents along the U.S. East Coast.
But Humberto isn’t the only storm drawing concern. Hurricane Gabrielle, a major hurricane and the second of the Atlantic season, is racing across the ocean toward the Azores, a volcanic archipelago in the North Atlantic. The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for the Azores, cautioning that dangerous conditions could arrive as early as Thursday, September 25. The storm, which had intensified near Bermuda, was about 855 miles west of the Azores late Wednesday, packing maximum sustained winds of 85 mph and moving east at a brisk 31 mph.
While Gabrielle is forecast to weaken as it traverses cooler waters, the threat to the Azores remains significant. Forecasters warn of potentially severe coastal flooding and large, destructive waves. Rainfall totals could reach up to 5 inches across the central and western islands from Thursday into Friday, September 26. For the Azores, which has weathered its share of Atlantic tempests, the coming days could prove challenging. The National Hurricane Center emphasized, "The storm is forecast to weaken but could cause significant coastal flooding in the island chain as well as large, destructive waves."
Gabrielle’s influence isn’t limited to the Azores. Waves generated by the hurricane are expected to affect Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast from North Carolina northward, and the Atlantic coast of Canada. Life-threatening surf and rip currents are possible, prompting warnings for beachgoers and mariners alike. The hurricane’s reach, in other words, extends far beyond its core.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Hurricane Narda is making its own mark. Late Wednesday, Narda was moving away from Mexico with sustained winds of about 90 mph, located approximately 580 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. The hurricane was heading west at 10 mph, and, for now, no coastal watches or warnings were in effect as Narda was expected to continue moving further offshore. Nevertheless, the National Hurricane Center cautioned that swells generated by Narda could bring rough surf and rip current conditions to parts of coastal Mexico. Although Narda was expected to weaken over the next day or so, forecasters predicted it would restrengthen on Thursday and Friday, keeping the region on alert.
As these storms churn through the Atlantic and Pacific, their impacts ripple outward—sometimes in surprising ways. Take Hurricane Gabrielle, for instance. While its direct threat is centered on the Azores, questions have surfaced about whether it might affect weather patterns much farther afield, including in the United Kingdom. According to the UK’s Met Office, Gabrielle is only the second major hurricane of the Atlantic season and has intensified near Bermuda, prompting speculation about its influence on European weather.
However, the Met Office has sought to set expectations straight. Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tom Crabtree explained, "Wet, and at times, windy weather can be expected for many over the weekend, but this will not be a direct influence of what will be by then, ex-Hurricane Gabrielle." He added, "While some uncertainty remains over its exact track, we are confident that the remnants of Gabrielle will stay well to the south of the UK." So, while the UK is bracing for a spell of unsettled weather during the weekend of September 27-28, 2025, this is not directly due to Gabrielle’s remnants. Instead, an area of high pressure that has kept the UK mostly dry during the week is expected to weaken, allowing a weather front to sweep in from the west and bring a band of rain.
Still, Gabrielle’s evolution is having a subtle, remote influence on the UK’s forecast. As Crabtree noted, "Gabrielle’s track and timing will still have a remote influence on UK weather, however, as its evolution will influence how quickly a band of rain moves into the west this weekend and how long it lingers on Sunday (September 28)." In other words, while the storm itself will stay well to the south, its presence in the Atlantic is nudging weather systems in ways that can be felt farther north. The Met Office is monitoring developments closely and promises further updates as the weekend approaches.
For many in the UK, the immediate outlook is a shift from the chillier nights caused by high pressure to milder, wetter conditions as the weather front arrives. The expectation is that many places will become dry again by Sunday, September 28, after the rain moves through. It’s a familiar autumnal pattern—one that happens to coincide with the drama unfolding over the Atlantic.
Back across the ocean, the broader context of this hurricane season is also drawing attention. Despite the recent activity, 2025’s Atlantic hurricane season has been relatively quiet until now. Gabrielle is only the second major hurricane of the season, a statistic that has surprised some forecasters and residents along the hurricane-prone coasts. Whether this late burst of storm formation signals a shift in the season’s overall pattern remains to be seen, but it’s a reminder that the tropics can spring to life quickly and with little warning.
For residents of the Azores, Bermuda, coastal Canada, and the eastern United States, the message from forecasters is clear: remain vigilant and heed official warnings. The same goes for communities along Mexico’s Pacific coast, where Narda’s waves could pose dangers even as the storm tracks offshore. And for those in the UK and western Europe, it’s worth keeping an eye on the evolving forecast, even if the direct threat from Gabrielle is minimal.
As September gives way to October, the tropics are proving once again that, even in a quiet season, there’s no room for complacency. With multiple storms swirling simultaneously and their impacts echoing across continents and oceans, the need for timely information and preparedness has rarely been more apparent.