A tropical depression has formed in the far eastern Atlantic and is expected to become a major hurricane named Lee that will track between Bermuda and the northern Leeward Islands by the end of the weekend. Both the GFS and the EURO are in close alignment on a path northwestward before a turn northward by the middle of next week.
While the likelihood of it staying out at sea is high, the timeframe is far enough out where the track might bring it closer to the eastern coast of the United States. Earlier forecast model runs over Labor Day weekend did suggest a landfall from the mid-Atlantic to New England. Any remote chance of this would be toward the end of next week.
There will be plenty of time to watch and see if the long-range models are correct in forecasting an eastern U.S. upper trough that could deflect the storm northward out to sea in the western Atlantic. Let’s hope so.
Regardless of the path, the massive swells from the extremely large hurricane will start impacting Jacksonville beaches on Tuesday.
As of 11 a.m., the center of Tropical Depression 13 was located 1,425 miles east of the Lesser Antilles.
The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 15 mph, and this motion is expected to continue for the next few days.
Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. The depression is forecast to be a hurricane in a couple of days and could become a major hurricane in a few days.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 mb.
Interests in the Leeward Islands should monitor the progress of this system.