The UK Overseas Territory of Bermuda is on high alert as Hurricane Lee undergoes a period of rapid intensification, transforming into a dangerous major hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued a tropical storm watch for the island, indicating that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, typically within 48 hours. The storm's exact proximity to the island will determine the severity of the impacts, which are expected to be felt around Friday.
A Storm Gaining Fury
As of the latest NHC advisory, Hurricane Lee was located roughly 705 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands. It has stunned forecasters with its explosive development, boasting maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h), firmly placing it in the Category 3 major hurricane classification on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
The hurricane is forecast to continue strengthening over the next day, potentially becoming an extremely dangerous major hurricane. While its core is predicted to pass north of the Caribbean islands, its expansive wind field means effects will be felt well outside its centre.
The Looming Threat to Bermuda
For Bermuda, the primary concerns are:
- Dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents already affecting parts of the northern Caribbean and expected to reach Bermuda and the US east coast later in the week.
- Heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding.
- Strong tropical storm-force winds, depending on the storm's eventual track.
Officials on the island are urging residents to closely monitor the storm's progress and to begin reviewing their hurricane preparedness plans. The situation remains fluid, and all eyes are on the forecast updates from the National Hurricane Center.
