NOAA Hurricane Gabrielle satellite map, Sept. 23, 2025.
PHILADELPHIA - While Hurricane Gabrielle remains a powerful Category 4 storm in the Atlantic, two other tropical systems are developing closer to the U.S. East Coast, raising new concerns for forecasters and residents.
The National Hurricane Center is monitoring the two disturbances, which have an increasing chance of becoming named storms in the coming days.
What we know:
According to FOX Weather, Hurricane Gabrielle has rapidly intensified into a "monstrous" Category 4 hurricane, making it the second major hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season.
The storm was last located east-northeast of Bermuda and is moving away from the U.S.
NOAA storm map, Sept. 23, 2025.
Potential impacts to Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware
While it is not a direct threat to the Northeast, Hurricane Gabrielle is expected to bring hazardous surf and dangerous rip currents to the Jersey Shore and other portions of the East Coast.
Forecasters are now turning their attention to two other tropical waves, designated as Invest 93L and Invest 94L.
The first, Invest 93L, is a large disturbance with a high chance of developing into a strong hurricane, which could follow a path similar to Gabrielle toward Bermuda. The second, Invest 94L, is over the northeastern Caribbean and has a medium chance of development. The National Hurricane Center expects both of these systems to develop later this week.
If either of the systems develops into a tropical storm, the next names on the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season list are Humberto and Imelda.
NOAA storm map, Sept. 23, 2025.
What are rip currents?
A rip current is a powerful, narrow channel of water that flows away from the shore. It's often mistakenly called an "undertow," but it does not pull a person underwater. Instead, it's a strong horizontal current that acts like a treadmill, pulling swimmers out to sea.
Rip currents are a leading cause of rescues by surf beach lifeguards and are responsible for over 100 drowning deaths annually in the U.S.
They form when incoming waves push water toward the shore, creating a buildup of water that then flows back to the sea through the easiest path, often a low spot in a sandbar or near a structure like a jetty.
It can be difficult to spot a rip current, but signs include a narrow gap of calmer, darker water, a channel of churning water, or a line of foam or seaweed moving seaward, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The Source: This article is based on information from FOX Weather and the National Hurricane Center.