Hurricane Lee has rapidly intensified into the first Category 5 storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, unleashing its fury with winds reaching up to 270km/h (165 miles per hour). As the powerful storm continues to gather strength, areas in the northern Caribbean are bracing for the impact of swells and dangerous rip currents.
As of Friday morning, Hurricane Lee was located approximately 1,015km (630 miles) east of the northern Leeward Islands, according to the National Weather Service in the United States. The storm was steadily moving west-northwest at 22km/h (14mph), leaving residents and authorities closely monitoring its trajectory.
Late on Thursday, the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami upgraded Lee to a “dangerous” Category 5 hurricane, marking a critical development in the Atlantic hurricane season.
In a morning advisory on Friday, the NHC warned that hurricane-fuelled swells were expected to impact parts of the Lesser Antilles later in the day. These swells are forecasted to reach the British and US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Turks and Caicos, Bahamas, and Bermuda over the weekend. The NHC cautioned that these swells could lead to life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Additionally, the NHC noted that dangerous surf and rip currents are anticipated along most of the US East Coast beginning Sunday, emphasising the need for residents and beachgoers to exercise caution.
While Hurricane Lee is currently a formidable Category 5 hurricane, the NHC anticipates that it will remain a major hurricane well into the coming week. However, the storm is expected to gradually slow down over the southwestern Atlantic, offering some respite.
US President Joe Biden was briefed on the hurricane’s latest trajectory and the preparations undertaken by the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA has deployed assets to Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands in preparation for the storm’s arrival.
Ernesto Morales of the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico, warned, “We will see waves between 10 and 15 feet [three and five meters], so we don’t want anyone on the beaches.”
As Hurricane Lee becomes the 12th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which typically peaks in September, it serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by extreme weather events in the region.
Meanwhile, on Thursday evening, Tropical Storm Margot emerged as the 13th named storm of the season. Located west-northwest of the Cape Verde islands, Margot is expected to strengthen into a hurricane over the weekend while remaining over open waters.
