Hurricane Lee, the latest Atlantic hurricane this season, formed Wednesday afternoon east of the Leeward Islands on a track that could put it close to the East Coast, and forecasters warn it could develop into a major hurricane by the end of the week, just over a week after Hurricane Idalia wreaked havoc on Florida.
Hurricane Lee follows Hurricane Idalia, which brought widespread flooding to Florida's Gulf Coast.
Lee, which had strengthened into a tropical storm on Tuesday, is traveling west-northwest at a speed of 14 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center
Its formation follows Hurricane Idalia, which made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 3 major hurricane last week, leaving an estimated $20 billion in damage after causing widespread flooding and storm damage before weakening into a tropical storm as it crossed from Georgia to South Carolina.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service expect Lee to become a major hurricane—Category 3 or higher—early on Saturday, though they caution it’s “too soon to determine the location and magnitude” of the hurricane.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Tropical Storm Lee Forms, Expected To Rapidly Become Major Hurricane (Forbes)
Tropical Storm Idalia Reaches South Carolina After Barreling Through Florida And Georgia (Forbes)