Do you like to study the history of hurricanes? Maybe compare the different levels of impact of hurricanes with the same name?
Just how do those storms get named anyway?
The hurricanes and tropical storms you hear about each Atlantic hurricane season get their names from six lists originated and recycled every six years by the World Meteorological Organization.
A name is retired and replaced when a storm with that name causes extreme property damage and loss of life. Gabrielle is the seventh name on the list for 2025.
Hurricane Gabrielle on September 18, 2001 at pear intensity as a Category 1 Hurricane.
With the addition of this year’s Hurricane Gabrielle, 10 tropical cyclones worldwide have carried the name Gabrielle, seven of them in the Atlantic Ocean. Those seven Atlantic storms hit in 1989, 1995, 2001, 2007, 2013, 2019, and this year. The storms in 1989 and 2001 reached hurricane status along with this year’s storm.
Gabrielle’s development into a hurricane this year connected directly to its wind speed.
Phases of Tropical Cyclones
All named storms are a form of tropical cyclone — a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has a closed low-level circulation.
Phase 1: Tropical Depression
Early in a cyclone’s development, as a tropical depression, wind speeds are less than 39 mph.
Tropical depressions are not given names but are numbered and tracked in case they grow into tropical storms or hurricanes.
The low-pressure system that would grow into this year’s Gabrielle was identified on September 11.
Phase 2: Tropical Storm
Should a sufficiently powerful weather system develop with a sustained wind speed of 39 mph, a tropical storm is named. That happened with Tropical Storm Gabrielle on September 17.
Phase 3: Hurricane
If that speed reaches 74 mph, a hurricane is announced. This year’s Hurricane Gabrielle entered the record books on September 21 and rapidly grew to a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph.
If you live in an area where such a storm system is expected, take all necessary precautions, keep up to date on reports of the storm’s path, and don’t underestimate the potential impact to your community.
When Was Hurricane Gabrielle?
The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30, with some tropical cyclone activity before and after those dates. Most activity occurs between mid-August and mid-October.
Of the seven storms that have been named Gabrielle in the Atlantic, three have reached hurricane status — forming in 1989, 2001, and this year.
Where Did Hurricane Gabrielle Hit?
In 1989, Hurricane Gabrielle remained hundreds of miles out at sea, but the storm still caused large ocean swells along the U.S. East Coast.
Twelve years later, Gabrielle made landfall near Venice, Florida, as a tropical storm and grew into a hurricane after moving back out to sea.
This year, Gabrielle stayed in the Atlantic Ocean, although its swells had a minor effect on several islands and the U.S. East Coast.
What Category Was Hurricane Gabrielle?
Hurricane Gabrielle reached Category 4 status in 1989. This qualified Gabrielle as a major hurricane. Its highest sustained winds were 145 mph.
Gabrielle only reached Category 1 strength in 2001 after leaving Florida. It again grew to Category 4 this year.
What Time Will Hurricane Gabrielle Make Landfall?
There is no correlation between similarly named hurricanes in history, as the records of the three hurricanes named Gabrielle show.
Researching, “What time did Hurricane Gabrielle make landfall?” will not help you prepare for a potential Hurricane Gabrielle in 2025.
With any current storm predicted to reach your region, stay up to date on weather forecasts and be aware of that specific storm’s estimated landfall.
With any severe storm, don’t make the mistake of waiting until the last minute to reach a safe area.
The Power of Preparedness
Ensure your family is protected in the face of unexpected challenges with our Disaster Preparedness Guide.
Topics Include:
— Family Communication Plan
— Evacuation Plans
— Care for Pets
— Weather Monitoring
Download Our Disaster Preparedness Guide!
Start your journey to preparedness now and download the guide to learn practical steps for facing any disaster confidently.
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How Many People Died in Hurricane Gabrielle?
Although Gabrielle did not make landfall in 1989, its rough surf caused eight fatalities in the United States and one in Canada.
Category 1 Gabrielle cost three lives in Florida in 2001 even though the storm was only at tropical storm strength over land. This is an important point to note, since it is tempting to feel less concerned about a storm system when it does not reach hurricane status.
Thankfully, this year there were no fatalities associated with Gabrielle, and only minor property damage.
What Was the Path of Hurricane Gabrielle?
In 1989, Hurricane Gabrielle developed off the coast of West Africa. After the system crossed the Atlantic in a fairly straight east to west path, it veered sharply north along the East Coast of the United States and then northeast along Canada’s coast.
Hurricane Gabrielle’s path in 2001 took it across Florida from the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical storm. It reached hurricane status as it moved northeast into the Atlantic where it gradually dissipated over a long northeast journey heading south of Greenland.
This year, Gabrielle formed from a system off of West Africa that traveled across the Atlantic and near to the U.S. East Coast before moving northeast and dissipating near the Iberian Peninsula.
Convoy of Hope & Hurricanes
Convoy of Hope, a faith-based nonprofit serving the poor in dozens of program countries around the world, responded to its first disaster in 1998 when flooding in Del Rio, Texas, followed that year’s Tropical Storm Charley.
Hurricane response continues to be an annual priority for Convoy.
Convoy’s 2024 response to Hurricane Helene.
Convoy’s 2024 Major Responses
In the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, Hurricane Beryl broke two records — becoming the earliest Category 4 storm on June 30 and the earliest Category 5 on July 1.
Convoy quickly began meeting the needs of communities in Beryl’s path. Beryl’s first effects were felt in the Caribbean, where Convoy served more than 43,000 meals and distributed family food kits, hygiene kits, water filters, solar lamps, and generators.
To view Convoy’s response to Hurricane Ian, watch the video above.
On September 26, Category 4 Hurricane Helene became the strongest recorded hurricane to strike Florida’s Big Bend region.
It was the deadliest hurricane since 2005’s Katrina, with more than 230 fatalities.
By November, Convoy had distributed more than 4 million pounds of resources in 85 communities across Florida and five other impacted states.
Hurricane Milton was the final major storm of the 2024 season and hit Florida with heavy rain and flooding even as the state continued to recover from Helene.
Convoy continued its regional response to include 27 communities recovering from Milton. Nearly 1 million pounds of resources were distributed.
Convoy of Hope Disaster Services responds to natural disasters around the world, offering help and hope to people facing some of the most challenging circumstances in their lives.
Convoy of Hope is a nonprofit, faith-based organization with a driving passion to feed the world through children’s feeding initiatives, community outreach, and disaster response.
