The center of Hurricane Lee is located
near latitude 17.8 North, longitude 53.5 West. Lee is moving toward
the west-northwest near 14 mph and this motion is
expected to continue through early next week with a significant
decrease in forward speed. On the forecast track, Lee is expected
to pass well to the north of the northern Leeward Islands, the
Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico over the weekend and into early
next week.
Maximum sustained winds based on data from the Air Force Reserve
Hurricane Hunter aircraft have increased to near 165 mph with higher gusts.
Lee is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Additional strengthening is
forecast today. Fluctuations in intensity are likely over the next
few days, but Lee is expected to remain a major hurricane through
early next week.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the
center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles.
The center of Tropical Storm Margot is
located near latitude 17.4 North, longitude 30.8 West. Margot is
moving toward the west-northwest near 16 mph (26 km/h). This general
motion is expected to continue through the weekend, followed by a
turn toward the northwest early next week.
Maximum sustained winds remain near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher
gusts. Gradual strengthening is expected during the next few days,
and Margot is forecast to become a hurricane over the weekend.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles (35 km)
from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1004 mb (29.65 inches).
