Tommy’s Travel Forecast: Gabrielle strengthens, severe weather returns

AUSTIN (KXAN)— The tropics are awake. Tropical Storm Gabrielle is forecast to become Hurricane Gabrielle in the Atlantic Basin very soon. We need to closely watch two other areas of potential tropical development this week. One or both of these waves could impact the Caribbean Islands.

Tropics

Gabrielle is moving northwest as a Tropical Storm, but the storm is forecast to strengthen to hurricane status.

Gabrielle will pass east of Bermuda on Monday, with life-threatening surf and rip current conditions possible on parts of the U.S. East Coast.

There are two other areas to closely watch in the Atlantic Basin. One has a low chance of development, the other a medium chance of development. The next name is Humberto.

Severe Weather

An upper-level low-pressure system will keep a severe weather threat in place for the next few days in the Central and Southern Plains.

There is a level 2/5 severe weather threat for portions of North Texas and Oklahoma on Sunday, and a level 2/5 severe weather threat for parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, and Iowa. Large hail, isolated tornadoes, and damaging winds are possible.

Beyond the next few days, the upper-level low-pressure system will slide east, bringing heavy rain to the Appalachians mid-week into next weekend.