Hurricane Hunters Find Lee Getting Stronger Again

MIAMI -- Hurricane Lee is getting stronger again. That's the message delivered from Air Force Reserve crews that went inside the storm with a Hurricane Hunter aircraft.

They found top winds back up to 120 miles per hour, with higher gusts. Lee is expected to get stronger tonight, then fluctuate Monday and Tuesday.

Right now, the National Hurricane Center says Lee is centered about 285 miles NNE of the northern leeward Islands, moving WNW at 8 mph.

Forecasters say high surf has started moving onto the US East Coast and will get stronger as Lee moves north.

Florida and the southeast US are not in danger of a strike by Lee.

Forecasters are also watching two disturbances off the coast of Africa. One has a 20 percent chance of forming over the next seven days, while the other has a 40 percent chance of getting organized over the next week. There's also Tropical Storm Margot, which is expected to stay out at sea.

Photo: NHC

Hurricane Lee Advisory Number 22

NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL132023

500 PM AST Sun Sep 10 2023

...AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTERS FIND LEE RESTRENGTHENING...

...HAZARDOUS BEACH CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO SPREAD THROUGH THE WESTERN

ATLANTIC DURING THE WEEK...

SUMMARY OF 500 PM AST...2100 UTC...INFORMATION

----------------------------------------------

LOCATION...22.1N 61.7W

ABOUT 285 MI...455 KM NNE OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...120 MPH...195 KM/H

PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 300 DEGREES AT 8 MPH...13 KM/H

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...954 MB...28.17 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS

--------------------

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK

----------------------

At 500 PM AST (2100 UTC), the center of Hurricane Lee was located

near latitude 22.1 North, longitude 61.7 West. Lee is moving toward

the west-northwest near 8 mph (13 km/h). A slower west-northwestward

motion is expected during the next few days. On the forecast track,

Lee is expected to pass well north of the northern Leeward Islands,

the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico during the next day or two.

Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate

that the maximum sustained winds have increased to near 120 mph (195

km/h) with higher gusts. Lee is a category 3 hurricane on the

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Additional strengthening

is forecast during the next day or so. Some fluctuations in

intensity are possible on Monday and Tuesday.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the

center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles

(280 km).

The latest minimum central pressure reported by Air Force Reserve

reconnaissance is 954 mb (28.17 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

----------------------

Key messages for Lee can be found in the Tropical Cyclone Discussion

under AWIPS header MIATCDAT3 and WMO header WTNT43 KNHC and on the

web at hurricanes.gov/text/MIATCDAT3.shtml

SURF: Swells generated by Lee are affecting portions of the Lesser

Antilles, the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico,

Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, and Bermuda.

These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip

current conditions. Dangerous surf and rip currents have begun

to reach portions of the southeast U.S. East Coast and are forecast

to worsen and spread northward along much of the U.S. East Coast

during the next couple of days. Please consult products from your

local weather office.

NEXT ADVISORY

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Next complete advisory at 1100 PM AST.


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