SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hurricane Lee whirled via open waters on Thursday as forecasters warned it might turn out to be the primary Category 5 storm of the Atlantic season.
Lee was not anticipated to make landfall whereas on a projected path that can take it close to the northeast Caribbean, though forecasters mentioned tropical storm circumstances are attainable on some islands. Meteorologists mentioned it was too early to supply particulars on potential rainfall and wind gusts.
The storm was situated some 965 miles (1,555 kilometers) from the northern Leeward Islands. It had winds of as much as 80 miles per hour (130 kilometers per hour) and was shifting west-northwest at 13 mph (20 kph).
Lee was forecast to become an “extremely dangerous” main hurricane by early Friday.
“The environment around the cyclone looks ideal for rapid intensification,” the National Hurricane Center in Miami mentioned.
Life-threatening surf was anticipated to hit the Lesser Antilles on Friday and attain the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Bahamas and Bermuda this weekend, the middle mentioned.
Lee is the twelfth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 and peaks in September.
The National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration in August forecasted between 14 to 21 named storms this season, with six to 11 of them anticipated to turn out to be hurricanes, and of these, two to 5 probably growing into main hurricanes.
In the Pacific, Hurricane Jova churned via open waters removed from Mexico’s southwest coast as a Category 5 storm. It posed no menace to land.
It was situated some 535 miles (860 kilometers) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California and shifting west-northwest at 16 mph (26 kph) with winds as much as 160 mph (260 kph). The storm is anticipated to weaken beginning late Thursday.
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