Hurricane Lee charges over Atlantic waters as a Category 5 storm, approaching the Caribbean

NHC meteorologists say it's too early to know what level of impacts - rainfall and wind gusts - Lee may have on the U.S. East Coast.

By Associated Press September 8, 2023 6:03 am

ContributedNHCAs of 5 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8, NHC meteorologists said it was too early to know what level of impacts - rainfall and wind gusts - Lee may have on the U.S. East Coast.

MIAMI, FL (AP) – Hurricane Lee whirled through open waters toward the northeast Caribbean late Thursday becoming the first Category 5 storm of the Atlantic season.

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Lee was not expected to make landfall although forecasters said tropical storm conditions are possible on some islands.

NHC meteorologists say it’s too early to know what level of impacts – rainfall and wind gusts – Lee may have on the U.S. East Coast.

As of 5 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8, the Category 5 hurricane was located about 630 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands. It had winds of up to 165 miles per hour and was moving west-northwest at 14 mph.

The storm was expected to remain a major hurricane into next week.

“Lee continues to strengthen at an exceptional rate,” the National Hurricane Center said.

President Joe Biden on Thursday was given the hurricane’s latest trajectory and details of preparations underway by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, which deployed unidentified assets to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the White House. Life-threatening surf was expected to hit the Lesser Antilles on Friday and reach the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Bahamas and Bermuda this weekend, the center said.

“We will see waves between 10 and 15 feet, so we don’t want anyone on the beaches,” said Ernesto Morales with the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The NHC said dangerous surf and rip currents were forecast for most of the U.S. East Coast starting Sunday.

Lee is the 12th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 and peaks in September.

Tropical Storm Margot became the 13th named storm after forming on Thursday evening. As of 5 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8, it was located some 460 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. It had winds of up to 40 mph and was forecast to strengthen into a hurricane over the weekend. It was moving west-northwest at 16 mph and is expected to remain over open water.