Lee rapidly intensifies into a dangerous major hurricane. Here’s the MS Coast forecast.
Hurricane Lee continued to strengthen at an “exceptional rate” and is on track to become a Category 5 storm by the weekend, the National Hurricane Center said Thursday afternoon.
The storm’s track is still uncertain, but is expected to move north of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by early next week.
It will bring dangerous rip currents to the Caribbean by Friday and along the East Coast by Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said.
Hurricane Lee’s path predictions are still uncertain but the NHC does not predict the storm will impact the Mississippi Coast. The storm is moving west-northwestward and had formed an eye by Thursday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center said. Its track moved slightly north overnight.
Forecasters predict Hurricane Lee will move north of the northern Leeward Islands but urged caution because storm tracks can change quickly as a system nears land. An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter plane will fly into Lee’s eye in the next 24 hours to measure the storm’s intensity, the NHC said.
Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore said on Thursday morning that some models are “too close to ignore” but others do not reach land. Uncertainty is common in predicting storms a week out.
By next week, Lee could slow down north of the Greater Antilles, move north along the east coast or track closer north of the Turks and Caicos or Bermuda, Cantore said. He said any possible impacts to the U.S. would likely occur at the end of next week.
“Bermuda should be watching Lee intently and we cannot rule out impacts for the northeast USA and maritime Canada at this time,” Cantore tweeted Thursday. “We do know this will be a huge wave machine for the eastern part of the USA.”
Tropical Storm Margot forms in Atlantic
Tropical Storm Margot formed off the Cabo Verde Islands on Thursday and is moving northwest over the Atlantic, the NHC said Thursday afternoon.
The NHC said it expects Margot to gradually strengthen to a hurricane within two to three days.
The remnants of Hurricane Franklin diminished Thursday afternoon several hundred miles off Spain’s northwestern coast.
This story was originally published September 7, 2023 at 9:24 AM.