Gabrielle becomes a hurricane in Atlantic waters southeast of Bermuda

MIAMI AP Tropical Storm Gabrielle strengthened into a hurricane Sunday afternoon southeast of Bermuda in the Atlantic Ocean forecasters say The Miami-based National Hurricane Center stated Gabrielle s maximum sustained winds increased to mph kph making it a Category hurricane Gabrielle was located about miles kilometers southeast of Bermuda and moving to the north-northwest at mph kph THIS IS A LATEST NEWS UPDATE AP s earlier story follows below Tropical Storm Gabrielle strengthened in Atlantic waters southeast of Bermuda on Sunday and was close to becoming a hurricane forecasters commented Gabrielle had maximum sustained winds of mph kph and was less than mph kph shy of hurricane strength as meteorologists warned the storm could rapidly intensify in coming hours The storm was centered Sunday afternoon about miles kilometers southeast of Bermuda and was moving to the northwest at mph kph the National Hurricane Center in Miami disclosed It declared rapid strengthening could come over the next day or two On the current forecast track Gabrielle was expected to pass east of Bermuda on Monday No coastal watches or warnings are in effect but meteorologists urged interests in Bermuda to keep a close watch on the storm s progress The hurricane center reported large ocean swells kicked up by Gabrielle are impacting Bermuda and are expected to reach the Eastern Seaboard from North Carolina northward into Atlantic Canada over the coming days