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Former Hurricane Lee Brings Strong Winds to Nova Scotia

Former Hurricane Lee brought strong winds to Nova Scotia on Saturday. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of former Hurricane Lee was located at latitude 44.5°N and longitude 66.1°W which put it about 50 miles (80 km) south of Saint John, New Brunswick. Lee was moving toward the north at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 970 mb.

Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Cape Elizabeth, Maine to the U.S. Canada border. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from the U.S./Canada border to Belledune, New Brunswick. That Tropical Storm Warning included Grand Manan Island. A Tropical Storm Warning was also in effect for all of Nova Scotia. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the Magdalen Islands and for Prince Edward Island.

Former Hurricane Lee completed a transition of a strong extratropical cyclone on Saturday. The center of former Hurricane Lee was over the Bay of Fundy on Saturday afternoon. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 320 miles (520 km) from the center of former Hurricane Lee.

Former Hurricane Lee was causing strong gusty winds in Maine, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia on Saturday afternoon. Almost 90,000 electricity outages were reported in Maine.

A weather station in Grand Manan Island reported a sustained wind speed of 51 m.p.h. (82 km/h) and a wind gust of 93 m.p.h. (150 km/h). A weather station in Halifax, Nova Scotia reported a sustained wind speed of 52 m.p.h. (83 km/h) and a wind gust of 60 m.p.h. (96 km/h). A weather station in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia reported a sustained wind speed of 50 m.p.h. (81 km/h) and a wind gust of 66 m.p.h. (106 km/h).

A weather station in Nantucket, Massachusetts (KACK) reported a sustained wind speed of 36 m.p.h. (58 km/h) and a wind gust of 58 m.p.h. (93 km/h). A weather station in Vinal Haven, Maine reported a sustained wind speed of 44 m.p.h. (71 km/h).

Former Hurricane Lee will move toward the east-northeast on Sunday. The strong extratropical cyclone will produce strong winds over Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Margot meandered west of the Azores and Tropical Depression Fifteen was spinning over the Central Atlantic. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Margot was located at latitude 34.3°N and longitude 39.6°W which put it about 745 miles (1200 km) west-southwest of the Azores. Margot was moving toward the west at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 996 mb.

At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Depression Fifteen was located at latitude 20.8°N and longitude 47.1°W which put it about 1005 miles (1745 km) east-northeast of the Lesser Antilles. The tropical depression was moving toward the north-northwest at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1006 mb.

Hurricane Lee Moves Toward Nova Scotia

Hurricane Lee moved toward Nova Scotia on Friday. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Lee was located at latitude 37.9°N and longitude 66.7°W which put it about 490 miles (790 km) south-southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Lee was moving toward the north at 20 m.p.h. (32 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 95 m.p.h. (150 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 965 mb.

A Hurricane Watch was also in effect for the portion of the coast from the U.S./Canada border to Point Lepreau, New Brunswick. That Hurricane Watch included Grand Manan Island. A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Digby to Ecum Secum, Nova Scotia.

Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Westport, Massachusetts to the U.S. Canada border. That Tropical Storm Warning included Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from the U.S./Canada border to Fort Lawrence, New Brunswick. That Tropical Storm Warning included Grand Manan Island. A Tropical Storm Warning was also in effect for the portion of the coast from Shediac to Tidnish, New Brunswick. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Fort Lawrence, New Brunswick to Point Tupper, Nova Scotia.

A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for Prince Edward Island and the Magdalen Islands. A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Belledune to Shediac, New Brunswick. A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Tidnish, New Brunswick to Aulds Cove, Nova Scotia. A Tropical Storm Watch was also in effect for the portion of the coast from Aulds Cove to Meat Cove to Point Tupper, Nova Scotia.

Hurricane Lee was in the middle of a transition to an extratropical cyclone on Friday afternoon. There was no longer a well formed eye at the center of Lee’s circulation. Drier air was being pulled around the southern side of Hurricane Lee. An upper level trough over the eastern U.S. was producing southerly winds that were blowing toward the top of Lee’s circulation. Those winds were causing moderate vertical wind shear. The effects of the drier air and the vertical wind shear were causing an asymmetrical distribution of thunderstorms in Hurricane Lee. Most of the thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the northern half of Lee’s circulation, Bands in the southern half of Hurricane Lee consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.

The changes to the structure of Hurricane Lee produced a large area of tropical storm force winds. Winds to hurricane force extended out 115 miles (185 km) from the center of Lee’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 345 miles (555 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) was 11.5. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 39.8 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 51.3. Hurricane Lee was about three-fourths as large as Hurricane Sandy was in 2012.

Hurricane Lee will move through an environment that will be unfavorable for intensification of a hurricane during the next 24 hours. Lee will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are colder than 26°C. The upper level trough over the eastern U.S. will continue to will cause moderate vertical wind shear. The circulation around Lee will also pull in more drier air. The combination of colder water, moderate vertical wind shear and the drier air will cause Hurricane Lee to weaken gradually during the next 24 hours. That same combination of environmental factors will also cause Hurricane Lee to complete a transition to an extratropical cyclone on Saturday.

Hurricane Lee will move around the western part of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system and the upper level trough over the eastern U.S. will steer Lee toward the north during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Lee reach Nova Scotia on Saturday. Even though Hurricane Lee will be making a transition to an extratropical cyclone on Saturday, Lee will bring strong, gusty winds and locally heavy rain to the coast of the Northeast U.S. and to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Widespread outages of electricity are possible. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in come locations. The winds blowing around the northern side of Hurricane Lee will push water toward the coast. The water level could rise as much as four feet (one meter) along parts of the coast.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, former Hurricane Margot weakened to a tropical storm west of the Azores and Tropical Depression Fifteen formed east of the Lesser Antilles. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Margot was located at latitude 36.0°N and longitude 37.9°W which put it about 615 miles (990 km) west of the Azores. Margot was moving toward the southeast at 3 m.p.h. (5 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 990 mb.

At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Depression Fifteen was located at latitude 15.4°N and longitude 44.0°W which put it about 1150 miles (1885 km) west of the Azores. The tropical depression was moving toward the northwest at 13 m.p.h. (21 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1007 mb.

Hurricane Lee Causes Gusty Winds in Bermuda

Hurricane Lee caused gusty winds in Bermuda on Thursday. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Lee was located at latitude 32.9°N and longitude 67.6°W which put it about 170 miles (275 km) west-northwest of Bermuda. Lee was moving toward the north at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 957 mb.

A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Stonington, Maine to the U.S./Canada border. A Hurricane Watch was also in effect for the portion of the coast from the U.S./Canada border to Point Lepreau, New Brunswick. That Hurricane Watch included Grand Manan Island. A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Digby to Medway Harbour, Nova Scotia.

A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for Bermuda. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Westport, Massachusetts to the U.S. Canada border. That Tropical Storm Warning included Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from the U.S./Canada border to Fort Lawrence, New Brunswick. That Tropical Storm Warning included Grand Manan Island. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Fort Lawrence, New Brunswick to Point Tupper, Nova Scotia.

The circulation around the eastern side of Hurricane Lee was producing gusty winds in Bermuda on Thursday night. A weather station at the L.F. Wade International Airport (TXKF) reported a sustained wind speed of 43 m.p.h. (69 km/h) and a wind gust of 62 m.p.h. (100 km/h). The center of Hurricane Lee passed about 75 miles (120 km) east of NOAA buoy 41048 earlier in Thursday. The buoy reported a sustained wind speed of 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and a wind gust of 92 m.p.h. (148 km/h).

Hurricane Lee was beginning to exhibit the typical structure of a hurricane moving northward off the east coast of the U.S. There was no longer a well formed eye at the center of Lee’s circulation. Drier air was being pulled around the southern side of Hurricane Lee. An upper level trough over the eastern U.S. was producing southwesterly winds that were blowing toward the top of Lee’s circulation. Those winds were causing moderate vertical wind shear. The effects of the drier air and the vertical wind shear were causing an asymmetrical distribution of thunderstorms in Hurricane Lee. Most of the thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the northern and western sides of Lee’s circulation, Bands in the eastern and southern sides of the circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.

The changes to the structure of Hurricane Lee produced a large area of tropical storm force winds. Winds to hurricane force extended out 105 miles (165 km) from the center of Lee’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 345 miles (555 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) was 12.7. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 37.6 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 50.3. Hurricane Lee was about three-fourths as large as Hurricane Sandy was in 2012.

Hurricane Lee will move through an environment that will be unfavorable for intensification of a hurricane during the next 24 hours. Lee will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 27°C. The upper level trough over the eastern U.S. will continue to will cause moderate vertical wind shear. The circulation around Lee will also pull in more drier air. The combination of moderate vertical wind shear and the drier air will cause Hurricane Lee to weaken gradually during the next 24 hours. The combination of vertical wind shear and drier air will also cause Hurricane Lee to make a gradual transition to an extratropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.

Hurricane Lee will move around the western part of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system and the upper level trough over the eastern U.S. will steer Lee toward the north during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, the center of Hurricane Lee will be southeast of Cape Cod by Friday night. Lee will affect Maine, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia later on Saturday. Hurricane Lee could be in the middle of a transition to an extratropical cyclone on Saturday. Lee will bring strong, gusty winds and locally heavy rain to the coast of the Northeast U.S. and Nova Scotia. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in come locations. The winds blowing around the northern side of Hurricane Lee will push water toward the coast. The water level could rise as much as four feet (one meter) along parts of the coast.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Margot was churning west of the Azores. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Margot was located at latitude 36.9°N and longitude 38.9°W which put it about 655 miles (1055 km) west of the Azores. Margot was moving toward the east-northeast at 3 m.p.h. (5 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 982 mb.

Hurricane Lee Prompts Watches for Northeast U.S.

The risk posed by Hurricane Lee prompted the issuance of a Hurricane Watch and a Tropical Storm Watch for a portion of the Northeast U.S. on Wednesday afternoon. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Lee was located at latitude 27.4°N and longitude 67.6°W which put it about 380 miles (610 km) south-southwest of Bermuda. Lee was moving toward the north-northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 952 mb.

A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Stonington, Maine to the U.S./Canada border. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for Bermuda. A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Watch Hill, Rhode Island to Stonington, Maine. The Tropical Storm Watch included Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

Hurricane Lee weakened a little on Wednesday, but Lee remained a large and powerful hurricane. A circular eye with a diameter of 36 miles (50 km) was at the center of Lee’s circulation. The eye was surrounded by a broken ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Hurricane Lee. Storms near the center of Lee’s circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.

Hurricane Lee was still a very large hurricane. Winds to hurricane force extended out 115 miles (185 km) from the center of Lee’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 265 miles (425 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) was 17.8. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 28.2 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 46.0. Hurricane Lee was similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Frances when Frances hit Southeast Florida in 2004.

Hurricane Lee will move through an environment that will become more unfavorable for a major hurricane during the next 24 hours. Lee will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C. An upper level trough over the eastern U.S. will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Lee’s circulation. Those winds will cause the vertical wind shear to increase on Thursday. Hurricane Lee will move over cooler water later on Thursday. The combination of more vertical wind shear and cooler water will cause Hurricane Lee to weaken gradually during the next 24 hours.

Hurricane Lee will move around the western part of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Lee toward the north during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, the center of Hurricane Lee will pass west of Bermuda on Thursday evening. Bands in the eastern side of Lee’s circulation will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to Bermuda on Thursday.

Hurricane Lee could be east of Cape Cod by Saturday morning. Lee will affect Maine and Nova Scotia later on Saturday. Hurricane Lee could be in the middle of a transition to an extratropical cyclone on Saturday. Lee will bring strong, gusty winds and locally heavy rain to the coast of the Northeast U.S. and Nova Scotia. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in come locations. The winds blowing around the northern side of Hurricane Lee will push water toward the coast. A Storm Surge Watch has been issued for Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Margot was spinning over the Central Atlantic. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Margot was located at latitude 34.7°N and longitude 40.6°W which put it about 790 miles (1270 km) west-southwest of the Azores. Margot was moving toward the north at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 971 mb.

Hurricane Lee Prompts Tropical Storm Watch for Bermuda

The potential effects of Hurricane Lee prompted the issuance of a Tropical Storm Watch for Bermuda on Tuesday. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Lee was located at latitude 24.7°N and longitude 66.4°W which put it about 530 miles (860 km) south of Bermuda. Lee was moving toward the northwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 115 m.p.h. (185 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 135 m.p.h. (215 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 946 mb.

A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for Bermuda.

Hurricane Lee completed an eyewall replacement cycle on Tuesday. A large eye with a diameter of 45 miles (75 km) was at the center of Lee’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 center of Hurricane Lee. Storms near the center of Lee’s circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.

The size of the circulation around Hurricane Lee increased on Tuesday after the eyewall replacement cycle. Winds to hurricane force extended out 125 miles (200 km) from the center of Lee’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 240 miles (390 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) was 20.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 36.2 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 56.8. Hurricane Lee was similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Ivan when Ivan hit the Gulf Coast in 2004.

Hurricane Lee will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Lee 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. The large size of the circulation around Hurricane Lee could limit changes of intensity during the next 24 hours. Lee could intensify a little on Wednesday. An upper level trough over the Great Lakes will cause the vertical wind shear to increase later this week.

Hurricane Lee will move around the western part of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Lee toward the north-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Lee will move south-southwest of Bermuda on Wednesday.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Margot moved north over the Central Atlantic. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Margot was located at latitude 31.7°N and longitude 39.6°W which put it about 835 miles (1345 km) west-southwest of the Azores. Margot was moving toward the north at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 95 m.p.h. (150 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 977 mb.

Hurricane Lee Moves South of Bermuda

Hurricane Lee moved south of Bermuda on Monday. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Hurricane Lee was located at latitude 23.9°N and longitude 64.8°W which put it about 580 miles (935 km) south of Bermuda. Lee was moving toward the west-northwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 115 m.p.h. (185 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 135 m.p.h. (215 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 948 mb.

Hurricane Lee went through another eyewall replacement cycle on Monday. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the existing eye and eyewall early on Monday. Two concentric eyewalls were present at the core of Lee’s circulation during much of Monday. The inner eyewall weakened throughout the day, but a portion of the inner eyewall was still present on microwave satellite images on Monday evening. Low level convergence became concentrated into the outer eyewall and the outer eyewall began to contract around the center of Hurricane Lee. Bands of showers and thunderstorms revolved around the concentric eyewalls. Storms near the core of Lee’s circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.

The eyewall replacement cycle caused some fluctuations in the size and intensity of Hurricane Lee on Monday. Winds to hurricane force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of Lee’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 185 miles (295 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) was 20.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 26.4 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 47.0. Hurricane Lee was similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Irma when Irma hit Southwest Florida in 2017.

Hurricane Lee will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Lee will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move into a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. If the inner eyewall dissipates completely, then Hurricane Lee could intensify on Tuesday.

Hurricane Lee will move around the southwestern part of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Lee toward the northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Lee will be far to the south of Bermuda on Tuesday.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, former Tropical Storm Margot intensified to a hurricane over the Central Atlantic. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Hurricane Margot was located at latitude 28.0°N and longitude 39.6°W which put it about 1295 miles (2085 km) northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. Margot was moving toward the north at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 95 m.p.h. (150 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 984 mb.

Hurricane Lee Moves Northeast of Puerto Rico

Hurricane Lee moved northeast of Puerto Rico on Sunday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Hurricane Lee was located at latitude 22.6°N and longitude 62.2°W which put it about 400 miles (645 km) northeast of the San Juan, Puerto Rico. Lee was moving toward the northwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 140 m.p.h. (220 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 950 mb.

Hurricane Lee intensified on Sunday after it completed an eyewall replacement cycle. The inner eyewall dissipated on Sunday morning. The outer eyewall surrounded an eye with a diameter of 30 miles (50 km) developed at the center of Lee’s circulation. The strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms revolved around the core of Hurricane Lee. Storms near the core of Lee’s circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.

Hurricane Lee was turning into a large and powerful hurricane on Sunday night. Winds to hurricane force extended out 75 miles (120 km) from the center of Lee’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 175 miles (280 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) was 22.1. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 22.6 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 44.7.

Hurricane Lee will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Lee will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move into a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Lee could intensify to Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale on Monday.

Hurricane Lee will move around the southwestern part of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Lee toward the northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Lee will pass far to the north of the Puerto Rico on Tuesday.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Margot continued to intensify gradually over the Central Atlantic Ocean. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Storm Margot was located at latitude 24.6°N and longitude 39.9°W which put it about 1185 miles (1910 km) west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. Margot was moving toward the north at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 996 mb.

Hurricane Lee Moves Northeast of the Leeward Islands

Hurricane Lee moved northeast of the Leeward Islands on Saturday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Hurricane Lee was located at latitude 21.0°N and longitude 59.9°W which put it about 285 miles (455 km) northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands. Lee was moving toward the west-northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 962 mb.

Hurricane Lee was in the middle of an eyewall replacement cycle on Saturday evening. A small eye was at the center of Lee’s circulation. The small eye was surrounded by a tight ring of thunderstorms. The strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. A second eyewall surrounded the small eye and inner eyewall. The eyewall replacement cycle and some vertical wind shear caused Hurricane Lee to weaken on Saturday. Bands of showers and thunderstorms revolved around the two concentric eyewalls. Storms near the center of Lee’s circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.

The eyewall replacement cycle caused the size of Hurricane Lee’s circulation to increase. Winds to hurricane force extended out 35 miles (55 km) from the center of Lee’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 185 miles (295 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) was 17.8. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 13.6 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 31.4.

Hurricane Lee will move through an environment that will become more favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Lee will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move into a region where the upper level winds are weaker and there will be less vertical wind shear. Hurricane Lee is likely to weaken on Sunday until the eyewall replacement cycle is completed, even though Lee will move into a more favorable environment. After the inner eyewall dissipates, low level convergence will increase into the larger outer eyewall. When the low level convergence becomes more concentrated in the outer eyewall, then Hurricane Lee could start to intensify again.

Hurricane Lee will move around the southern side of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Lee toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Lee could be north of the Puerto Rico by early next week.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Margot gradually intensified west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Margot was located at latitude 21.6°N and longitude 39.1°W which put it about 1060 miles (1705 km) west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. Margot was moving toward the northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1000 mb.

Hurricane Lee Weakens East of the Northern Leeward Islands

Hurricane Lee weakened while it moved over the Atlantic Ocean east of the Northern Leeward Islands on Friday. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Lee was located at latitude 19.3°N and longitude 56.5°W which put it about 440 miles (705 km) east of the Northern Leeward Islands. Lee was moving toward the west-northwest at 13 m.p.h. (21 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 115 m.p.h. (185 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 135 m.p.h. (220 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 963 mb.

An upper level trough near Puerto Rico produced strong southwesterly winds that blew toward the top of Hurricane Lee. Those winds caused moderate vertical wind shear. Those winds also inhibited the upper level divergence in the southern side of Hurricane Lee. Hurricane Lee was unable to pump away as much mass as was flowing into Lee in the lower levels of the atmosphere. More mass accumulated in the center of Hurricane Lee and the surface pressure rose quickly on Friday.

The inner core of Hurricane Lee was disrupted by the moderate vertical wind shear. The ring of thunderstorms surrounding the eye was broken south of the center of Lee’s circulation. Bands in the southwestern part of Hurricane Lee consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Most of the thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the northern half of Lee’s circulation. Thunderstorms in the northern side of Lee still generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the north of the hurricane.

The size of the circulation around Hurricane Lee increased on Friday. Winds to hurricane force extended out 30 miles (50 km) from the center of Lee’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 175 miles (280 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) was 20.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 12.4 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 33.0.

Hurricane Lee will move through an environment only marginally favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Lee will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. However, the upper level trough near Puerto Rico will still continue to cause vertical wind shear on Saturday. Hurricane Lee could continue to weaken during the next 24 hours.

Hurricane Lee will move around the southern side of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Lee toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Lee could be northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands by Saturday night.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Margot was moved farther away from the Cabo Verde Islands. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Margot was located at latitude 19.5°N and longitude 35.8°W which put it about 810 miles (1310 km) west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. Margot was moving toward the west-northwest at 17 m.p.h. (28 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.

Hurricane Lee Rapidly Intensifies to Cat. 5

Hurricane Lee rapidly intensified to Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale over Atlantic Ocean east of the Northern Leeward Islands on Thursday. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Lee was located at latitude 17.3°N and longitude 52.4°W which put it about 705 miles (1135 km) east of the Northern Leeward Islands. Lee was moving toward the west-northwest at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 160 m.p.h. (260 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 190 m.p.h. (240 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 928 mb.

A circular eye with a diameter of 17 miles (28 km) was at the center of Hurricane Lee. A ring of thunderstorms surrounded the eye and the strongest winds were occurring in the ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Lee’s circulation. Storms near the core generated strong upper level divergence that pumped large quantities of mass away from the hurricane. The removal of large amounts of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease rapidly.

Hurricane Lee rapidly intensified to Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale on Thursday. Winds to hurricane force extended out 45 miles (75 km) from the center of Lee’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (220 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) was 35.0. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 13.4 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 48.4.

Hurricane Lee will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Lee 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. Hurricane Lee could continue to intensify during the next 24 hours.

Hurricane Lee will move around the southern side of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Lee toward the west-northwest during the next 36 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Lee could be northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands by Friday night.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Margot was spinning west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Margot was located at latitude 16.8°N and longitude 29.3°W which put it about 355 miles (570 km) west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. Margot was moving toward the west-northwest at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.