Hurricane Lee intensifies to Category 5 storm

ORLANDO, Fla. — Hurricane Lee is now a Category 5 but continues to track west northwest in the Atlantic.

▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS

▶ DOWNLOAD OUR APPS

Update: 11:00 p.m.

Advisory 11 from the National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Lee is now a Category 5 storm. Dangerous beach conditions are expected to develop around the western Atlantic through early next week.

Update: 10:00 p.m.

The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Lee has strengthened to a strong Category 4 storm and should become a Category 5 overnight.

Chief Meteorologist Tom Terry said the Hurricane Hunter’s second pass showed signs of strengthening, near a Category 5.

Update: 5:00 p.m.

The National Hurricane Center said Thursday afternoon that Hurricane Lee has intensified from a Category 2 storm to a Category 4 storm.

The agency said rip currents and hazardous surf conditions will spread across the northern Caribbean on Friday and begin affecting the mainland United States by Sunday.

Chief meteorologist Tom Terry said waves from Lee are expected locally by Tuesday and Wednesday and will remain present through next weekend.

Read: Summer has been hottest on record, UN says

“Rough waves are likely to keep the rip current threat very high next week and weekend, and large long-period swells will bring beach erosion potential as well,” he said. “A trough of low pressure along the United States’ east coast next week is expected to turn Lee north and keep the impacts limited to higher waves for us.”

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Margot has also formed.

Watch Terry track the storm live on Channel 9 Eyewitness News.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 35

Cedar Key clean-up Andy Bair hangs a fish outside of his historic Cedar Key hotel after Hurricane Idalia. (Nick Papantonis)

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 26

Hurricane season names These are the names for storms that develop during the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season. (WFTV.com News Staff)

Earlier story:

Hurricane Lee has strengthened into a Category 2 storm.

Lee now has maximum sustained winds of 105 mph and is moving west-northwest at 15 mph.

Thankfully, Lee’s forecast track is still keeping it away from the Caribbean islands and Florida.

See more on the latest update on Eyewitness News at Noon.

Original report:

Lee is still classified as a Category 1 storm; however, it is forecast to become a major hurricane by Friday.

As of Thursday morning, Lee has maximum sustained winds around 80 mph and is moving west-northwest at 13 mph.

Read: Hurricane Idalia: Florida reports 2 deaths from the storm

Fortunately, data shows it will stay north of the Caribbean islands as it continues to gain strength this weekend.

Lee will eventually slow down east of the Bahamas, and then start to take a more northerly path.

Read: Wild Florida resumes airboat rides after a crash last month injured 16

As it stands now, this turn would thankfully keep Lee far away from Florida.

Channel 9′s meteorologists will continue to monitor Lee and provide updates on Eyewitness News.

Watch: Urban farm serving Orlando’s Parramore community forced to close

Follow our Severe Weather team on X (Twitter) for live updates:

• Chief meteorologist Tom Terry
• Kassandra Crimi
• George Waldenberger
• Brian Shields

©2023 Cox Media Group