ORLANDO, Fla. – The focus in the tropics remains on Lee, which is expected to become a major hurricane.
The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Hurricane Lee, located over the central tropical Atlantic.
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Forecasters said in the NHC’s 11 a.m. advisory the hurricane was 870 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands, moving west-northwest at 15 mph with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. On the forecast track, the core of Lee will move north of the northern Leeward islands during the next few days.
The hurricane is expected to rapidly intensify Thursday and Thursday night, likely becoming a major hurricane.
Lee is projected to grow into a Category 5 hurricane, packing winds of 160 mph, before weakening into a Category 4 storm early next week.
Computer models continue to show Lee taking a turn to the north, away from Florida. The system is still a long way from the U.S., however, so it’s too soon to be 100% sure of its actual path.
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The peak of hurricane season, which runs through November, is Sunday.
ELSEWHERE IN THE TROPICS
Eastern Tropical Atlantic (AL96)
Showers and thunderstorms are showing signs of organization in association with a broad area of low pressure located over the eastern tropical Atlantic near the Cabo Verde Islands.
Environmental conditions are expected to be generally conducive for additional development, and a tropical depression is likely to form during the next couple of days while the disturbance moves toward the west-northwest at about 15 mph.
Its formation chances through 48 hours is 60%.
Northeastern Atlantic (ex-Franklin)
Shower and thunderstorm activity associated with Post-Tropical Cyclone Franklin, located a few hundred miles west-northwest of the northwestern coast of Spain, have not become better organized and the system remains frontal.
The system could briefly acquire some subtropical or tropical characteristics later Thursday while it moves north and then meanders northwest of Spain and Portugal, but environmental conditions appear to become unfavorable for further development.