DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Hurricane Lee whipped up waves of more than 15 feet on Monday as the Category 3 storm cranked through open waters just north of the Caribbean region, prompting the National Weather Service to issue advisories for Florida beachgoers.
The storm is not expected to make landfall this week, although forecasters said those in New England and nearby areas should keep a close eye on Lee, whose future path is uncertain. It was located some 340 miles north of the northern Leeward Islands. It had winds of up to 120 mph and was moving northwest at 7 mph.
A high surf advisory was in effect for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with the NWS warning of breaking waves of up to 15 feet for north and east-facing beaches.
Weather officials also issued an alert over dangerous rip currents.
“A moderate risk of life-threatening rip currents continues at all east Central Florida beaches. Entering the surf at night is not advised,” the NWS said. “A high risk of deadly rip currents is forecast for Monday, lasting through the entire workweek.”
Volusia County Beach Patrol Chief Andy Ethridge said more towers and equipment are being brought out to be ready as soon as the surf kicks up.
“As the waves come in, they roll across the sandbar and larger waves will punch a hole in that sandbar and they’ll create a channel and water follows the path of least resistance,” Ethridge said.
Ethridge said the surf will be “dangerous surf” even though it’ll be sunny and blue skies.
“Don’t be deceived by the beautiful weather. If you’re coming down here, you still got to be careful of those wave heights,” Ethridge said.
Dan Carlin is a Volusia County resident and said people should be careful if they’re planning to be out in the water.
“You do need to be near a lifeguard for sure. And be a good swimmer if you’re going to be out there or very close to shore,” he said.
The National Hurricane Center said the storm’s future path is unclear.
“It remains too soon to know what level of impacts, if any, Lee might have along the U.S. East Coast and Atlantic Canada late this week, especially since the hurricane is expected to slow down considerably over the southwestern Atlantic,” the center said.
Lee strengthened from a Category 1 storm to a Category 5 storm last week in the span of 24 hours before weakening slightly.
The storm is expected to strengthen slightly in upcoming days before weakening again.
Lee was forecast to turn north on Wednesday, prompting the National Hurricane Center to warn that Bermuda could see wind, rain and high surf, adding that “it is too soon to determine the specific timing and level of those impacts.”
Lee is the 12th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 and peaked on Sunday.
In August, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration updated its forecast and doubled the chance to 60% for an above-normal hurricane system. Between 14 and 21 named storms are forecast, with six to 11 predicted to strengthen into hurricanes. Of those, two to five are forecast to become major hurricanes.
Also swirling in the open Atlantic was Tropical Storm Margot, which was expected to become a hurricane on Monday night. The storm was located 1,215 miles (1,955 kilometers) northwest of the Cabo Verde islands. It had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph) and was moving north at 8mph (13 kph). It is expected to remain over open waters.
What to do if you get caught in a rip current
If you do find yourself caught in a rip current, the first step is to not panic and try to swim against the current. Turn on your back and float for a few seconds and try and alert people on the beach.
Next, start swimming parallel to the coastline until you begin to feel the pull relax.
If you get caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore until you feel the pull weaken.
From there, start swimming back to shore at an angle. Many panicked swimmers try swimming straight back to shore. That causes them to swim against the current, which increases their risk of drowning due to fatigue.
How can you spot rip currents
Finding rip currents from the shore is not an easy task. Best way to spot them is from high above, such as with a tall lifeguard station or a drone.
The best way to stay informed is by looking out for the posted beach warning flags at beach entrances or near life guard towers.