Gabrielle is forecast to strengthen in the next 36 hours as the westerly wind shear and dry air that have been dampening its development are projected to gradually lessen, forecasters with the National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 7 a.m. Friday.

The Bermuda High's eastern position is steering storms out to sea, but a westward shift could drive hurricanes toward Texas and the Gulf Coast.

The tropical hazard outlook for September, issued by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center this week, indicates that forecasters expect the warmer waters to increase the chances of tropical activity in the Gulf next week. The second half of hurricane season typically sees more activity in the Caribbean and Gulf than the first half.

This year has been quieter than expected for tropical systems in the Atlantic, making some wonder: Where are all the hurricanes?

When Hurricane Erin explosively intensified in the Atlantic, the alarming part wasn’t solely how dangerous it had become as a Category 5 monster: It was also just how typical such an ultra-rapid rate of intensification has become.