BackTropical Storm Lee in Atlantic expected to become major hurricane, Top US scientist calls it ‘worrisome’
Tropical Storm Lee may become a major hurricane and approach the Caribbean by the weekend, according to forecasters.
PremiumForecasters predicted that the tropical storm Lee formed in the Atlantic Ocean could become a major hurricane as it approaches the Caribbean by the weekend, according to a report published by The Associated Press.
On Tuesday night, the tropical storm was located some 1,230 miles (1,980) kilometers east of the Lesser Antilles. As per National Hurricane Center in Miami, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 16 mph (26 kph).
The Hurricane Center said that it was forecast to strengthen into an “extremely dangerous" hurricane by Friday as it moves over very warm waters and passes just northeast of the Caribbean region, AP reported.
However, the center also said that it is too early to determine exactly how close this system will be to the Leeward Islands.
Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist and health economist on Wednesday warned that this is a worrisome forecast because the new predictions are much more westerly and southerly than before.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ding said, “This isn’t good—Hurricane #Lee is not only slated to become a Category 5 storm with 170+ mph sustained winds, but the new forecast is much more westerly and southerly than before (earlier forecast it would head more north). This is a worrisome forecast."
Tropical Storm Lee is the twelfth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 20.
In August, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration updated its first forecast and warned that this year's hurricane season would be above normal. Between 14 to 21 named storms are forecast. Of those, six to 11 could become hurricanes, with two to five of them possibly becoming major hurricanes, as per AP reports.
In the Pacific, Tropical Storm Jova continued strengthening well off the southwest coast of Mexico but posed no threat to land.
Jova had 70 mph (110 kmh) winds and was forecast to become a hurricane on Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was about 675 miles (1,085 kilometers) south of the southern tip of Baja California and moving west-northwest at 9 mph (15 kph).
(With AP inputs)
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