Hurricane Lee: A Powerful Category 5 Storm on the Horizon
On Thursday, Hurricane Lee captured attention with its well-defined eye wall, as seen in a satellite image taken around noon ET. The image showcased the storm looming over the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico to the west [Noaa/NESDIS/Star].
Forecasters have now revealed that Hurricane Lee has escalated to a Category 5 storm, with potential hazardous beach conditions expected along the U.S. East Coast as early as Sunday. By Friday morning, Lee boasted maximum sustained winds of 165 mph as it surged across the Atlantic Ocean, according to the National Hurricane Center. Its projected path indicates that the center of the storm will likely pass north of the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico [Noaa/NESDIS/Star].
Earlier in the day on Thursday, Lee achieved major hurricane status, with maximum winds increasing from 105 mph at 11 a.m. ET to 130 mph at 5 p.m. ET, all while developing a well-defined eye. The National Hurricane Center cautioned that Lee could intensify at an astonishing rate, exceeding the typical predicted trends of model forecasts. The main question now is just how strong and how quickly Lee will become [National Hurricane Center].
As of now, Lee’s projected track suggests the storm will move north-northwest, passing well north of Puerto Rico by Tuesday morning. Although it doesn’t pose an immediate threat to any specific regions, experts urge vigilance and close monitoring as conditions remain subject to change. The northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico are advised to stay updated on the storm’s progress [National Hurricane Center].
While it’s too early to definitively determine if Lee will make landfall or remain offshore, recent long-range models indicate its path curving north, avoiding the Caribbean. However, it’s important to note that models are not infallible. A notable example is Hurricane Irma in 2017, which deviated from its projected path and inflicted significant damage on Florida’s Gulf coast. Even if Lee bypasses land, its powerful swells will still impact portions of the Lesser Antilles, the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, potentially leading to life-threatening surf and rip currents [National Hurricane Center].
Lee has gained strength due to the unusually warm waters of nearly 86 degrees Fahrenheit east of the Lesser Antilles. While such warm temperatures are typically associated with the Gulf of Mexico, not the Atlantic Ocean, Lee has thrived in this environment of record-breaking warmth [National Hurricane Center].
This year’s Atlantic hurricane season has already seen an above-average number of storms, with Lee being the 13th named storm by September 5th. According to researcher Phil Klotzbach, only four other years on record have had at least 13 Atlantic named storms by this time: 2005, 2011, 2012, and 2020.
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