Experts Warn, ‘Do Not Drop Your Guard’ as Hurricane Lee Weakens and Turns

Dana Malcolm

 Staff Writer  

September 11, 2023 – Hurricane Lee has turned slightly from the original forecast path revealed last week, pushing it further away from The Caribbean and southeastern US and decreasing the possibility of landfall.

In addition to that welcome news shared by meteorologists on Sunday, wind shear across the Atlantic Ocean has slowed Hurricane Lee down and pushed it from a Category 5 to a Category 2 hurricane but they are warning residents not to let their guard down. After strengthening from Category one to five in under 24 hours last Thursday.  The twelfth named system, despite  recording a drop in intensity,  is expected to strengthen again in the next couple of days.

The system is forecast to pass near to the Northern Caribbean on Monday and adverse effects were already being reported by Sunday including very rough seas.

“Lee’s core is expected to pass well north of the Northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico during the next couple of days,” the National Hurricane Center explained.

Because of its proximity, dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents are already affecting portions of the northern Leeward Islands, the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, and Bermuda.

The NHC says it is too soon to tell what effects Lee could have on the countries nearest to it as the hurricane is forecast to slow down later this week.

The Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) in the Turks and Caicos is warning that locals should continue to monitor Hurricane Lee’s progress as the country will be negatively impacted in the coming week.