Topline
Hurricane Lee continued to gain strength over the Atlantic early on Thursday morning, developing into a Category 2 storm before noon as forecasts predict it will become a “major hurricane” on Friday, possibly triggering tropical storm-like conditions and dangerous ocean swells in parts of the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico.
This Wednesday satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows … [+]
Key Facts
In its Thursday morning update, the National Hurricane center reported maximum sustained wind speeds of around 105 mph—up from 75 mph on Wednesday evening and 85 mph earlier on Thursday when it had been classified as a Category 1 storm.
Thursday is expected to be a day of “rapid intensification” as it strengthens to become a major Category 3 hurricane over the next 24 hours, potentially ending up as a Category 4 storm—though AccuWeather forecasters project Lee to strengthen into a Category 5 storm (157 mph and above).
Forecasts suggest the hurricane will pass to the north of the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by early Friday, potentially packing tropical storm conditions over the weekend with “life-threatening” surf and rip currents.
According to current projections, the powerful hurricane is expected to turn away from the U.S. east coast although some models suggest potential impacts on the mid-Atlantic region next week.
Big Number
130 mph. That is the minimum sustained wind speed of hurricanes classified as Category 4 under the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, going all the way up to 155 mph. According to the NHC, a category 4 storm can cause “severe damage” to even well-built frame homes along with weeks or even months long power outages.
Key Background
A key reason attributed to the rapid intensification of Lee—like with Idalia last week—is rising ocean temperatures. Last month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned of an “above normal” hurricane season owing to the surface temperature of the Atlantic ocean being higher than normal. Research suggests that warmer ocean temperatures are likely to cause more severe storms and recent reports show that parts of the Atlantic are witnessing hot tub level surface temperatures. Climate scientists have warned that the extreme weather events witnessed across the northern hemisphere this year are a direct result of human driven climate change.
Tangent
Hurricane Lee, comes just a week after Idalia made landfall in Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm. Idalia’s impact was less severe than initially anticipated as the hurricane dropped from Category 4 speeds due to a fortuitous “eyewall replacement” just before landfall, in which the storm’s inner eyewall weakened and was replaced by a contracting outer eyewall. In Florida officials have attributed only two deaths to the storm.
Further Reading
Tropical Storm Lee Upgraded To Hurricane Lee In Atlantic—And Could Become Major Hurricane (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/09/07/hurricane-lee-rapidly-intensifies-over-warm-atlantic-ocean-expected-to-become-major-storm-early-friday/