Tropical Storm Gonzalo strengthened Friday as it passed near or over the Cabo Verde Islands, prompting a Tropical Storm Warning across the island chain and generating gusts already recorded at 41 mph at Sal International Airport, the National Hurricane Center reported.
As of 11 a.m. Cape Verde Time Friday, Gonzalo was centered at latitude 14.7 North, longitude 22.6 West — approximately 120 miles east of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands — with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and a minimum central pressure of 1002 mb. The storm was moving north-northwest at 10 mph.
“Tropical storm conditions are spreading over the Cabo Verde Islands and will continue through the day,” the NHC said in its advisory, issued by Forecaster Reinhart. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles from the center.
The warning covers the entire Cabo Verde island chain. “A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within 12 hours,” the NHC advisory stated.
Gonzalo is expected to produce rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches across the eastern portions of the Cabo Verde Islands through Saturday, with less than 1 inch anticipated for the western side of the chain. Coastal areas of Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, and Senegal face heavier rainfall. “Heavy rain along the coastal areas of Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, and Senegal will produce totals between 2 to 4 inches with isolated higher amounts along the immediate coast,” the NHC said.
Swells generated by Gonzalo are expected to affect the Cabo Verde Islands through Saturday. The NHC warned that “these swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.” Small intensity fluctuations are possible Friday, with a gradual weakening trend forecast to begin this weekend as the storm’s forward speed slows.
The NHC’s next complete advisory on Gonzalo was scheduled for 2 p.m. Cape Verde Time Friday.