Topline
Hurricane Lee, the latest Atlantic hurricane this season, formed Wednesday afternoon east of the Leeward Islands on a track that could put it close to the East Coast, and forecasters warn it could develop into a major hurricane by the end of the week, just over a week after Hurricane Idalia wreaked havoc on Florida.
Hurricane Lee follows Hurricane Idalia, which brought widespread flooding to Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Key Facts
Lee, which had strengthened into a tropical storm on Tuesday, is traveling west-northwest at a speed of 14 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center
Its formation follows Hurricane Idalia, which made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 3 major hurricane last week, leaving an estimated $20 billion in damage after causing widespread flooding and storm damage before weakening into a tropical storm as it crossed from Georgia to South Carolina.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service expect Lee to become a major hurricane—Category 3 or higher—by Friday afternoon, though they caution it’s “too soon to determine the location and magnitude” of the hurricane.
Lee could then become a Category 4 storm by early Saturday, though forecasters noted “hard-to-predict eyewall replacement cycles could cause some fluctuations in intensity” later in the weekend.
Key Background
Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida late last month after making an initial landfall in Cuba. Idalia, which packed maximum sustained wind speeds upwards of 125 mph, is believed to be responsible for two deaths in Florida, involving motorists who traveled in unsafe conditions, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The storm also downed trees and ripped roofs and storefronts in an area of Florida south of Tallahassee, and brought down a tree on Florida’s governor’s mansion in Tallahassee.
Big Number
18. That’s how many named storms forecasters at Colorado State University project for the Atlantic storm season, above the average of 14.4 seen over the 20-year period ending in 2020. Of those 18 storms, forecasters predict nine will become hurricanes, including four major ones.
Further Reading
Tropical Storm Lee Forms, Expected To Rapidly Become Major Hurricane (Forbes)
Tropical Storm Idalia Reaches South Carolina After Barreling Through Florida And Georgia (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/09/06/tropical-storm-lee-upgraded-to-hurricane-lee-in-atlantic-and-could-become-major-hurricane/