Hurricane Lee regains strength, now a Category 3
Hurricane Lee strengthened back into a Category 3 and is expected to strengthen further today with some fluctuations in intensity possible today and Tuesday. Meanwhile the National Hurricane Center keeps track of Tropical Storm Margot and two new systems that could develop.
At 5 p.m. Sunday, Hurricane Lee had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph making it a Category 3 hurricane. It was located about 285 miles north-northeast of the Caribbean’s northern Leeward Islands moving west-northwest at 8 mph. Hurricane-force winds extend out 45 miles with tropical-storm-force winds out 175 miles.
“A slower west-northwestward motion is expected during the next few days. On the forecast track, Lee is expected to pass well north of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico into early next week,” forecasters said.
The hurricane had undergone rapid intensification building up in less than half a day from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane with 165 mph winds this week. It was originally forecast to grow even stronger, but then it whiplashed and started losing steam on Friday.
“Some strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days, followed by gradual weakening,” forecasters said.
While its path has it shifting even more north within the next five days and no threat for landfall, the NHC is warning of its dangerous coastal effects with swells hitting portions of the Lesser Antilles, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Turks and Caicos, Bahamas and Bermuda this weekend.
“Swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” forecasters said.
“Dangerous surf and rip currents are expected to begin along most of the U.S. East Coast (today) and worsen through next week.”
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Margot continued to churn in the eastern Atlantic.
At 5 p.m., Margot was located about 1,175 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands moving north at 9 mph with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph.