Former Tropical Storm Leslie intensified to a hurricane over the eastern Atlantic Ocean on Friday night.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Leslie was located at latitude 10.3°N and longitude 33.6°W which put the center about 725 miles (1170 km) west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands.  Leslie was moving toward the west-northwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 989 mb.

Former Tropical Storm Leslie intensified to a hurricane over the eastern Atlantic Ocean on Friday night.  A circular eye formed at the center of Leslie’s circulation.  The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms revolved around the core of Hurricane Leslie.  Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The circulation around Hurricane Leslie was relatively small.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 15 miles (25 km) in the northeastern quadrant of Leslie’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of Hurricane Leslie.

Hurricane Leslie will move through an environment mostly favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Leslie will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C.  It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Upper level divergence from Hurricane Kirk is currently just missing Hurricane Leslie.  If Leslie moves under the divergence from Hurricane Kirk, then the wind shear will increase.  Hurricane Leslie is likely to stay just outside the upper level divergence from Hurricane Kirk on Saturday, which will allow Leslie to intensify.

Hurricane Leslie will move around the southwestern side of a high pressure system over the eastern Atlantic Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Leslie toward the northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Hurricane Leslie will move farther away from the Cabo Verde Islands.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, powerful Hurricane Kirk was in the middle of an eyewall replacement cycle.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Kirk was located at latitude 25.0°N and longitude 49.8°W which put the center about 1610 miles (2585 km) southwest of the Azores.  Kirk was moving toward the north-northwest at 13 m.p.h. (20 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 130 m.p.h. (210 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 155 m.p.h. (250 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 943 mb.