Hurricane Lee’s Rising Menace
The National Hurricane Center has issued an alert regarding Hurricane Lee, a formidable Category 3 tempest. While it is anticipated to remain northward from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in the imminent days, its mounting force could spell peril for the U.S. East Coast by ushering in hazardous surf conditions from Sunday onwards.
Current Conditions and Projections
With sustained winds reaching up to 120 mph, accompanied by even fiercer gusts, Hurricane Lee has already initiated perilous rip currents. These are affecting regions such as the Lesser Antilles, British and Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and Bermuda. By Sunday evening, alarming surf conditions began making their presence felt on the southeast East Coast. As per predictions, these conditions will intensify and progress northward across a substantial portion of the East Coast in the subsequent days.
Bermuda on Alert
Forecasters have indicated that, later in the week, Lee’s trajectory might veer west of Bermuda. This could result in the island experiencing wind, rain, and elevated surf levels. However, the precise timing and magnitude of these effects are yet undetermined.
Coastal Watch Update
As of now, there haven’t been any coastal watches or warnings specifically related to Hurricane Lee.
Lee’s Unpredictable Path
The path and strength predictions for Lee have witnessed significant variations recently. After briefly achieving Category 5 intensity over anomalously warm Atlantic waters, it was downgraded early Saturday. Nevertheless, Sunday saw a resurgence in its wind speed, and there’s potential for further intensification in the coming days, albeit with some variability.
Potential Threat to Infrastructure
It’s imperative to note that a Category 3 hurricane, labeled as a major hurricane, holds the capability to inflict severe damage. This includes the potential destruction of robustly constructed homes, uprooting trees, and disrupting essential services like power and water for extended periods. The National Hurricane Center, in its latest advisory, emphasized the uncertainty surrounding the exact impacts Lee might have on the East Coast and Atlantic Canada in the following week, primarily due to its predicted deceleration over the southwestern Atlantic.
