As Florida still undergoes efforts to recover from Hurricane Idalia’s landfall on Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center is eyeing a tropical depression it forecasts to become a major hurricane this weekend.
"Lee is forecast to become a major hurricane by early Saturday and could bring impacts to the northern Leeward Islands this weekend, the NHC said in its Wednesday report. "While it is too soon to determine the location and magnitude of these possible impacts, interests in this area should monitor the progress of Lee and further updates to the forecast."
Swells generated by Lee are expected to reach portions of the Lesser Antilles on Friday and the British and U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend. These swells are likely
to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions."
Still, the forecasts for the storm’s path are uncertain, and none puts Florida in immediate danger. The NHC projects tropical-storm-force winds reaching Puerto Rico by Saturday evening.
The depression is halfway between West Africa and the Caribbean, with maximum sustained winds near 35 mph as it moves northwest. The NHC said the depression’s environment appears conducive to strengthening in a forecast that puts the potential storm’s ceiling at Category 4, with a maximum wind speed of 140 mph.
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