Tropical Storm Gabrielle is moving steadily across the Atlantic and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane by Sunday, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

At 9am Irish time on Friday, Gabrielle was centred about 595 miles (960 km) east-north-east of the northern Leeward Islands and 945 miles (1,520 km) south-east of Bermuda. It is moving west-north-west at about 12 mph (19 km/h), with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h).

Gabrielle will gradually turn towards the northwest tonight, then north-northwest on Saturday night and northward by Sunday night. On its current track, the storm’s centre is expected to pass east of Bermuda late Sunday into Monday.

The National Hurricane Center said Gabrielle is expected to strengthen steadily and reach hurricane status by Sunday. Tropical-storm-force winds currently extend up to 150 miles (240 km) from the storm’s centre.

Swells generated by Gabrielle are expected to reach Bermuda tonight and build over the weekend, potentially causing dangerous surf and rip currents. Residents are advised to monitor updates from local authorities.

The system is eventually expected to adopt a similar track to Hurricane Erin, which eventually became anchored between Iceland and Ireland. That system ultimately brought an end to a long dry spell in August and has the potential to disrupt next week’s drier spell of weather by next weekend.