Current:Home > MyHurricane Lee becomes rare storm to intensify from Cat 1 to Cat 5 in 24 hours-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Hurricane Lee becomes rare storm to intensify from Cat 1 to Cat 5 in 24 hours
View Date:2024-12-23 19:34:19
Hurricane Lee, now a powerful Category 4 hurricane, is one of only a handful of hurricanes in the Atlantic basin during the satellite era to intensify by 85 mph or more within a 24-hour period.
The storm intensified more than twice the National Hurricane Center's definition of rapid intensification. Rapid intensification is defined as a storm increasing in wind speed by 35 mph or more in 24 hours.
MORE: Hurricane Lee now a Category 4: Projected path, maps and tracker
At 5 a.m. ET on Thursday, Lee was a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. Twenty-four hours later, Lee had strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane with whopping 165 mph winds.
Other notable storms to achieve this include Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and the record Hurricane Wilma in 2005. In just 24 hours Wilma increased from 75 mph winds (a Category 1 hurricane) to 185 mph winds (a Category 5 hurricane).
MORE: Hurricane preparedness tips and resources to help keep your family safe
Last week, Hurricane Idalia rapidly strengthened from 75 mph winds on Tuesday morning to 130 mph winds by Wednesday morning.
Warm water is a major reason for Lee's rapid intensification; Lee is in waters that are 3 to 4 degrees above average.
Lack of wind shear in the atmosphere and Lee churning over the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean are other important variables.
Water temperatures in the Atlantic are influenced by a number of factors, including the overall weather pattern, and human-amplified climate change due to increased greenhouse gas emissions.
Lee weakened slightly to a Category 4 storm by Friday midday.
The storm is expected to move north of the Caribbean islands over the weekend and early next week, sparing them any direct impacts. However, rough surf and life-threatening rip currents are a growing concern for many islands in the region.
Long-range models can change over the next week, but they currently show Lee moving parallel to the eastern United States coastline. If Lee stays on that course, the East Coast would also be hit with rough surf and life-threatening rip currents throughout the upcoming week.
ABC News' Ginger Zee and Dan Manzo contributed to this report.
veryGood! (3256)
Related
- Halle Berry surprises crowd in iconic 2002 Elie Saab gown from her historic Oscar win
- NC State completes miracle run, punches March Madness ticket with first ACC title since 1987
- Kristin Cavallari Shares Photo of Boyfriend Mark Estes Bonding With Her Son
- United Airlines CEO tries to reassure customers that the airline is safe despite recent incidents
- UConn, Kansas State among five women's college basketball games to watch this weekend
- Target limits self-checkout to 10 items or less: What shoppers need to know
- Book excerpt: Great Expectations by Vinson Cunningham
- Lamar Odom Reacts to Khloe Kardashian’s Message Honoring Brother Rob Kardashian
- Philadelphia mass transit users face fare hikes of more than 20% and possible service cuts
- Teen Mom's Briana DeJesus Says Past Relationships Taught Her to Look for Red Flags
Ranking
- Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper Prove They're Going Strong With Twinning Looks on NYC Date
- Ohio primary will set up a fall election that could flip partisan control of the state supreme court
- United Airlines CEO tries to reassure customers that the airline is safe despite recent incidents
- Stock market today: Asian stocks gain ahead of US and Japan rate decisions
- Avril Lavigne’s Ex Mod Sun Is Dating Love Is Blind Star Brittany Wisniewski, Debuts Romance With a Kiss
- Is milk bad for you? What a nutrition expert wants you to know
- Rewilding Japan With Clearings in the Forest and Crowdfunding Campaigns
- Years after her stepdad shot her in the face, Michigan woman gets a new nose
Recommendation
-
Insurance magnate pleads guilty as government describes $2B scheme
-
Suspect in Oakland store killing is 13-year-old boy who committed another armed robbery, police say
-
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Bring the Heat
-
In images: New England’s ‘Town Meeting’ tradition gives people a direct role in local democracy
-
Quincy Jones' Cause of Death Revealed
-
What to know about the Maine mass shooting commission report
-
Winners and losers from NCAA men's tournament bracket include North Carolina, Illinois
-
Anne Hathaway wants coming-of-age stories for older women: 'I keep blooming'