Lee is fast on its way of becoming a monster in the tropics. On Wednesday afternoon, Lee was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane while over the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Lee has been able to organize quickly over the hotter-than-usual water temperatures and lack of wind shear. These favorable conditions are likely to continue and Lee is forecast to become a major hurricane by the end of this week. Winds (over the weekend) could elevate to 150 mph while (still) over the Atlantic and away from land. The current forecast track has the center of Lee moving east, then north, of the Lesser Antilles. While missing the islands, It’s possible that swells from Lee could reach some spots as early as Friday. By the time Lee moves north of the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico, dangerous surf and rip current conditions are possible for those islands.
As we look at the future of Lee going into next week, there are still plenty of questions. However, what DOES seem imminent is that the system will eventually turn to the north. This will be in reponse to weaker high pressure (north and east of Lee) and a digging Jet Stream. The extent and timing of that turn will be critical. Will it happen sharply? How much time will it take to complete the turn? These are questions that will be ironed-out in the days ahead. Additional data will be welcomed and we’ll get a clearer vision of whether any land areas need to be on alert. At this point, ALL current forecast models keep Lee east of the Bahamas and several hundred miles away from Florida next week. Of course, some changes or adjustments may be made with updated information.
Regardless of the track, it seems apparent that Lee will become both very large and dangerous. The size of the system is likely to grow, along with its intensity. Therefore, it’s reasonable that it will eventually stir up waters over a large area. Depending on next week’s track, high waves and rip currents could encompass many beach locations (potentially including the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S.). Stay tuned.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.