In this NOAA image taken by the GOES satellite, Hurricane Lee crosses the Atlantic Ocean as it moves west on September 8, 2023.
Hurricane Lee weakened to a Category 3 hurricane Friday evening, one day after it exploded from a Category 1 to a dangerous Category 5, but is still forecast to remain a powerful storm into next week.
On Friday, the storm weakened gradually from its status as a Category 5 in the early morning, eventually down to a Category 3, still remaining a major hurricane.
"Fluctuations in intensity are likely over the next few days, however Lee is expected to remain a powerful hurricane through early next week," the advisory said.
Lee will bring high surf and dangerous rip currents to the U.S. East Coast as early as Sunday, and could worsen through the week.
Persons:
Hurricane Lee, Lee
Organizations:
Hurricane, National Hurricane Center, Virgin Islands, Lesser, British, U.S .
Locations:
Leeward, Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, U.S, U.S . Virgin Islands , Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Turks, Caicos Islands, Bahamas, Bermuda, U.S . East Coast