Hurricane Lee developed into a Category 5 storm overnight Thursday. Image courtesy NOAA
Sept. 8 (UPI) — Hurricane Lee strengthened into a Category 5 storm overnight and is expected to reach wind speeds of 180 mph within the next 12 hours.
The National Hurricane Center said in its 5 a.m. Friday update that Lee was forecast to maintain its “powerful Category 5” intensity and that “dangerous beach conditions” are expected to develop around the Western Atlantic through next week.
“Lee is a dangerous Category 5 hurricane, and further strengthening is possible,” it said.
The forecasters located the storm moving west-northwest at 14 mph about 630 miles east of the northern Leeward Island. It had maximum sustained winds of 165 mph.
The storm is forecast to move well north of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend and early next week as it is teeters between Category 4 and Category 5 status.
However, it is still deep over the Atlantic Ocean and the NHC warned that it is “way too soon” to know what impact the hurricane might have, if any, on the U.S. East Coast, Bermuda or Canada.
“The hurricane is expected to slow down considerably over the southwestern Atlantic,” the agency said. “Regardless, dangerous surf and rip currents are expected along most of the U.S. East Coast beginning Sunday.”
There are currently no watches or warnings in effect.
Hurricane Lee comes less than a week after Hurricane Idalia slammed much of the U.S. Southeast.
The hurricane damaged homes and knocked out power in Florida while flooding parts of Georgia and the Carolinas. Idalia has been blamed for at least two deaths.