By DÁNICA COTO (Associated Press)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hurricane Lee barreled over open waters Sunday evening simply northeast of the Caribbean, unleashing heavy swell on a number of islands because it regained some energy and expanded in dimension.
The Category 3 storm isn’t forecast to make landfall and is anticipated to remain over open waters via Friday. Late Sunday, it was centered about 310 miles (500 kilometers) north of the northern Leeward Islands. Its most sustained winds have been clocked at 120 mph (195 kph) and it was transferring northwest at 8 mph (13 kph).
Last week, Lee strengthened from a Category 1 storm to a Category 5 storm in simply in the future.
“We had the perfection conditions for a hurricane: warm waters and hardly any wind shear,” mentioned Lee Ingles, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Juan.
By Saturday evening, it had slowed to a Category 2 hurricane, however started restrengthening Sunday. Lee is anticipated to strengthen additional in upcoming days after which weaken once more, the U.S. the National Hurricane Center mentioned.
The heart of Lee additionally was rising in dimension, with hurricane-force winds extending outward as much as 75 miles (120 kilometers) from the middle and tropical storm-force winds extending outward as much as 175 miles (280 kilometers).
Breaking waves of as much as 20 ft (6 meters) have been forecast for Puerto Rico and close by islands beginning early this week, with authorities warning individuals to remain out of the water. Coastal flooding additionally was anticipated for some areas alongside Puerto Rico’s north coast and the jap portion of St. Croix within the U.S. Virgin Islands, in accordance with the National Weather Service in San Juan.
The National Hurricane Center mentioned that harmful surf and rip currents have been anticipated to hit many of the U.S. East Coast beginning Sunday, however that the hurricane’s influence past that was nonetheless unclear.
“It is way too soon to know what level of impacts, if any, Lee might have along the U.S. East Coast, Atlantic Canada, or Bermuda, especially since the hurricane is expected to slow down considerably over the southwestern Atlantic.” the middle mentioned.
Lee was forecast to take a flip to the north by Wednesday. However, its path after that remained unclear.
“Regardless, dangerous surf and rip currents are expected along most of the U.S. East Coast this week as Lee grows in size,” the middle mentioned.
Lee is the twelfth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 and peaked on Sunday.
Tropical Storm Margot turned the thirteenth named storm after forming Thursday night, however it was far out within the Atlantic and posed no risk to land. It was about 1,185 miles (1,910 kilometers) west-northwest of the Cape Verde Islands late Sunday. Its winds stood at 65 mph (100 kph) and it was forecast to strengthen right into a hurricane by Monday evening. It was transferring northward at 8 mph (13 kph).
The National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration in August forecast between 14 and 21 named storms this season. Six to 11 of them are anticipated to develop into hurricanes, and of these, two to 5 may grow to be main hurricanes.
In the Pacific, Jova weakened to a remnant low because it whirled over open waters removed from Mexico’s southwest coast and posed no risk to land.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”