Today at 5 a.m. AST, The National Hurricane Center advised that Lee is now a Category 5 hurricane and could intensify. The eye of the hurricane is predicted to travel north of the northern Leeward Islands, The Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico by the weekend and the start of next week.
Hazardous rip currents are likely in the northern Leeward Islands starting later today. The center reported that these currents will spread westward and northward, affecting Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, and Bermuda through the weekend.
The Bahamas Department of Meteorology stated, “In collaboration with fellow meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center, we are confident that Hurricane Lee will pass well to the east and north of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, the most significant impacts being swells.”
Despite these weather forecasts, NEMA still advises the public to “Be Prepared” in case these predictions change.
