Hurricane Lee (2023)
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Hurricane Lee is an active powerful Cape Verde hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. The thirteenth named storm, fourth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, Lee formed from a tropical wave near Cabo Verde and is currently located east of the northern Leeward Islands as a Category 3 hurricane.
Meteorological history
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) began to monitor a tropical wave over West Africa early on September 1.[1] The wave moved offshore into the tropical Atlantic Ocean on September 2,[2] producing disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity, and began to gradually organize. An area of low pressure formed from the wave two days later to the west-southwest of Cabo Verde.[3] On September 5, the low became more organized, with multiple low-level bands developing and the formation of a well-defined center. Consequently, advisories were initiated on Tropical Depression Thirteen at 15:00 UTC that day.[4] Amid favorable conditions for intensification, which included warm sea surface temperatures, moderate wind shear, and moderate mid-level relative humidity,[5] the depression quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Lee within a few hours.[6] Lee tracked west-northwestward, steered by a mid-level ridge located to its north, and continued to intensify as it became better organized, with increased convective banding, development of a central dense overcast, and formation of a ragged eye, evident in visible satellite imagery by the following afternoon. By 21:00 UTC on September 6, the system strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane[7] while located far to the east of the Northern Leeward Islands.[8] Rapid intensification began the next day, with Lee reaching Category 2 strength at 15:00 UTC,[9] before reaching Category 4 strength at 21:00 UTC.[10] A few hours later, a hurricane hunters mission into the storm found that it had reached Category 5 strength, and possessed a clear 17 mi-wide (28 km) eye surrounded by convective cloud tops with temperatures as low as −105 °F (−76 °C).[11] By 06:00 UTC on September 8, Lee's maximum sustained winds reached 165 mph (270 km/h), an increase of 85 mph (140 km/h) in 24 hours, making it the third‑fastest intensifying Atlantic hurricane on record, behind only Felix and Wilma.[12] During this same time period, the hurricane's minimum barometric pressure fell to 926 mbar (27.34 inHg).[13] Several hours later, however, an increase of southwesterly wind shear caused Lee's eye to become cloud filled and the storm to become more asymmetric. Lee weakened accordingly to a high-end Category 4 hurricane.[14]
Current storm information
As of 5:00 p.m. AST (21:00 UTC) September 8, Hurricane Lee is located within 20 nautical miles of 18°54′N 55°30′W / 18.9°N 55.5°W, about 500 miles (805 km) east of the northern Leeward Islands. Maximum sustained winds are 150 mph (240 km/h), with gusts up to 190 mph (305 km/h). The minimum barometric pressure is 942 mbar (27.82 inHg), and the system is moving west-northwest at 13 mph (20 km/h). Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles (240 km) from the center.
For the latest official information, see:
- The NHC's latest public advisory on Hurricane Lee
- The NHC's latest forecast advisory on Hurricane Lee
- The NHC's latest forecast discussion on Hurricane Lee
Preparations
Caribbean
The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency deployed food, water, and rapid response teams to Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands.[15]
See also
- Weather of 2023
- Tropical cyclones in 2023
- Timeline of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season
- List of Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes
References
- ^ Reinhart, Brad (September 1, 2023). Tropical Weather Outlook (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
- ^ Roberts, Dave (September 2, 2023). Tropical Weather Outlook (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Blake, Eric (September 4, 2023). Tropical Weather Outlook (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Blake, Eric (September 5, 2023). Tropical Depression Thirteen Discussion Number 1 (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Masters, Jeff; Henson, Bob (September 5, 2023). "Tropical Depression 13 poised to become a powerful hurricane". New Haven, Connecticut: Yale Climate Connections. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Blake, Eric (September 5, 2023). Tropical Storm Lee Discussion Number 2 (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Brown, Daniel (September 6, 2023). Hurricane Lee Discussion Number 6 (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ Brown, Daniel (September 6, 2023). Hurricane Lee Advisory Number 6 (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ Zelinsky, David (September 7, 2023). Hurricane Lee Advisory Number 9 (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ Zelinsky, David (September 7, 2023). Hurricane Lee Advisory Number 10 (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ Berg, Robbie (September 7, 2023). Hurricane Lee Discussion Number 11 (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ Masters, Jeff; Henson, Bob (September 8, 2023). "Hurricane Lee peaks as a Cat 5 with 165-mph winds". New Haven, Connecticut: Yale Climate Connections. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
- ^ Cangialosi, John (September 8, 2023). Hurricane Lee Advisory Number 12 (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
- ^ Brown, Daniel (September 8, 2023). "Hurricane Lee Discussion Number 13". Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
- ^ Pulver, Dinah Voyles; Rice, Doyle (September 8, 2023). "Hurricane Lee to pose 'extreme' risk at East Coast beaches; NHC says too soon to know path". USA Today. Retrieved September 8, 2023.