Florida - Wednesday September 6, 2023: What was Tropical Storm Lee, has now been upgraded to a hurricane by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) after the systems maximum sustained winds rose past 74 mph late Wednesday afternoon. Hurricane Lee is likely to intensify into what the Hurricane Center predicts will be an "extremely dangerous major hurricane by early Saturday."
The Hurricane Center still has Lee on a path that takes it north of the Leeward Islands. It is expected to create tropical storm conditions other the northern most of those islands by Saturday. Forecasters though have not yet projected where they think this dangerous hurricane will go after that.
However a number of models have it turning due north, into the central Atlantic, away from the U.S. mainland, after Lee passes to the north of Puerto Rico. Lee is not expected to reach that point for another four or five days, and environmental conditions could change. Where Lee goes after passing the Leeward islands may not become clear until Monday.
Hurricane Lee as of 5 p.m. Wednesday September 6
At 5 p.m. EST the center of Hurricane Lee was located near latitude 14.9 north and longitude 46.4 west.
Lee is continuing to move west-northwest near 14 mph. It is expected to continue in that direction for the next few days, with a slight reduction in forward speed over the weekend.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 75 mph, with higher gusts. Continued steady to rapid strengthening is forecast, and Lee is expected to become a major hurricane in a day or two.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 991 millibars or 29.27 inches.
Swells generated by Lee are expected to reach portions of the Lesser Antilles on Friday, and reach the British and U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend. These swells are
likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
