WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Hurricane Lee will continue to push west-northwest over the next few days, then turn north away from Florida by Wednesday.
In the 11 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center, Lee remained a Category 3 storm but is expected to strengthen into a Category 4 on Monday, then weaken by Friday, but will stay away from the U.S. At one time Lee was a Category 5 storm.
While the U.S. will not be directly impacted by Lee, dangerous swells and rip currents are already reach portions of the southeast U.S. and are forecast to weaken and spread northwest along much of the coast in the next couple of days.
Rough surf may also lead to beach erosion, mainly around the high tide cycle.
Swells also are affecting Lesser Antilles, the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas and Bermuda.
In the 11 p.m. update, Lee had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph and was traveling northwest at 8 mph.
Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate the maximum sustained winds increased to near 120 mph with higher gusts.
Lee was about 310 miles north of the Northern Leeward Islands.
TRACKING THE TROPICS: Hurricane Center | Hurricane Guide
Tropical Storm Margot likely will strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane by Monday, but it will stay out to sea and it will not pose a threat to land.
In the 11 p.m. update, Margot had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and was traveling north at 8 mph. Margot was about 1,185 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands.
A few tropical waves in the Eastern Atlantic near the coast of Africa have a low chance of formation over the next seven days.
Invest 97L has a 10% chance of formation over the next two days.
Long range models show some development with this system as it moves across the Atlantic.
Another wave, which is just west of the coast of Africa, has a 50% chance of formation.
