Hurricane Lee, the 12th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, has rapidly intensified to a Category 5 storm on Thursday night, becoming the first of its kind this year. The storm is currently churning towards the Caribbean islands, where it could bring life-threatening conditions in the coming days.
Lee could reach wind speeds of 180 mph
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Lee could go through “further strengthening” overnight, which could make it one of the rarest hurricanes in the Atlantic. Lee was located about 705 miles (1,135 km) east of the northern Leeward Islands and packing maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) as of 11 pm EDT on Thursday. Forecasters say Lee could become a “monster 180 mph” storm by Friday morning.
Lee is expected to remain a major hurricane through early next week, but fluctuations in intensity are likely over the next few days, the NHC said. The storm is moving west-northwest at 10 mph (17 km/h) and is expected to turn northwestward on Friday.
Lee could cause dangerous beach conditions on US east coast
Although Lee is not expected to make landfall anywhere, it could cause dangerous beach conditions on the US east coast by Sunday. The NHC has warned that dangerous surf and rip currents are expected to reach the northern Caribbean by Friday and parts of Puerto Rico and the US east coast by Sunday.
The NHC also advised residents in these areas to monitor the progress of Lee and follow any advice given by local officials. US President Joe Biden has been updated on the trajectory of Lee and is ready to provide any assistance if needed.
Lee is the first Category 5 storm of the Atlantic season
Lee is the first Category 5 storm of the Atlantic season, which runs from June to November. The last time a Category 5 storm formed in the Atlantic was in 2019, when Hurricane Dorian devastated parts of the Bahamas and threatened Florida.
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season is forecast to be more active than average, with up to 20 named storms, including up to 10 hurricanes and up to five major hurricanes. So far, there have been 12 named storms, including six hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
The impact of climate change on the frequency of tropical storms is still unclear, but increased sea surface temperatures warm the air above and make more energy available to drive hurricanes. As a result, they are likely to be more intense with more extreme rainfall.