Lee brings tropical storm watch to Bermuda, rip current risk to SC

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Hurricane Lee remained a Category 3 hurricane Tuesday morning prompting a tropical storm watch in Bermuda and a threat of rip currents and dangerous surf to the east coast of the United States.

As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, the storm remained and Category 3 storm. While forecasters believe it could weaken some during the next two day, they also say it will remain a large and powerful hurricane.

Lee jumped to Category 5 intensity Thursday night and early Friday morning with wind speeds reaching near 165 mph. By 11 a.m. Friday, the storm had weakened slightly with max wind speeds around 155 mph making it a Category 4 hurricane. The storm then weakened again to a Category 3 hurricane Friday night. The storm continued to weaken on Saturday, making it a Category 2 hurricane.

At 11 a.m. Tuesday, the center of Hurricane Lee was located near latitude 24.3 North, longitude 65.9 West. Lee is moving toward the west-northwest near 6 mph. A slow west-northwestward motion is expected during the next couple of days, followed by a gradual turn toward the north by midweek. Lee is expected to pass near but to the west of Bermuda in a few days.

NOAA Hurricane Hunter data indicate that the maximum sustained winds remain near 115 mph with higher gusts. Some slow weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, but Lee is expected to remain a large and powerful hurricane.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205 miles.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 951 mb or 28.09 inches based on dropsonde data.

Eye of Hurricane Margot moving north

Hurricane Margot churned through the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday as it continued its northward journey.

At 11 a.m., the center of Hurricane Margot was located near latitude 30.2 North, longitude 39.4 West. Margot is moving toward the north near 12 mph. A turn toward the north-northwest at a slower forward speed is expected beginning tomorrow, followed by a turn back generally toward the north at an even slower speed on Thursday and Friday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 85 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected for the next several days, but short-term fluctuations, up or down, are possible.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 255 miles

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