Currently en Puerto Rico — 8 de septiembre, 2023: Efectos indirectos de Lee

El tiempo, currently.

Lee se ha intensificado rápidamente en un huracán mayor. Los vientos con fuerza de tormenta tropical que se extienden hasta 120 millas desde su centro, que permanecerá a más de 850 millas al este de San Juan hasta el viernes por la tarde. El cono de posibilidades del Centro Nacional de Huracanes continúa apuntando hacia el Atlántico abierto, dejando a Puerto Rico cada vez más al suroeste de su borde sur. Esto significa que la probabilidad de que se produzcan condiciones de tormenta tropical en la isla ha ido disminuyendo, a sólo un 5-10%.

Pero si bien un impacto directo no ocurrirá, aún se producirán impactos indirectos, con bandas de lluvia que generarán tronadas y posiblemente grandes cantidades de lluvia para la isla, creando un riesgo de inundaciones. Las condiciones marinas también serán extremadamente peligrosas ya que Lee creará marejadas que generará olas y corrientes de resaca potencialmente mortales. Los efectos indirectos ya mencionados se extenderán por varios días, desde el fin de semana hasta al menos mediados de la semana entrante. Nuestra próxima actualización llegará con el pronóstico para el lunes.

—John Toohey-Morales

What you need to know, currently.

The 2023 hurricane season continues on a hyperactive pace.

On Thursday, Hurricane Lee underwent textbook rapid intensification from a Category 1 to a Category 4 in just 12 hours. It’s expected to become a Category 5 on Friday — and potentially one of the strongest hurricanes ever observed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Tropical Storm Margot also formed on Thursday, way out off the coast of Africa — the season’s 14th storm of the year so far, matching the historical average for an entire season with nearly a week to go until the season’s midpoint.

Since Atlantic records began in 1851, only three other season have had 14 named storms this early in the year — 2005, 2011, 2020. Only 1933, 2004, and 2005 have had 3 or more Cat 4+ hurricanes so early in the year. If you know your hurricanes, you know that those seasons are not the ones you want to be compared against.

It’s likely that Hurricane Lee will stay relatively safely offshore for at least the next 7 days or so, although some models have it coming worryingly close to New England or Atlantic Canada by September 17th or 18th.

— Eric Holthaus

What you can do, currently.

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