Hurricane Lee Is A Category 5 Storm After Doubling Its Wind Speed In A Day

Hurricane Lee rapidly intensified as it became a monstrous Category 5 storm. Lee's sustained winds doubled over the last 24 hours and, as of early Friday (September 8) morning, were at 165 mph.

"Additional strengthening is forecast today. Fluctuations in intensity are likely over the next few days, but Lee is expected to remain a major hurricane through early next week," the National Hurricane Center said.

The hurricane was about 630 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands, moving west-northwest at 14 mph. Current models show that Lee is expected to pass north of the Lesser Antilles and Puerto Rico and is unlikely to make landfall in the United States.

However, the massive storm could still cause dangerous surf and rip current conditions.

"Swells generated by Lee are expected to reach portions of the Lesser Antilles later today and reach the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, and Bermuda this weekend. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Dangerous surf and rip currents are expected to begin along most of the U.S. East Coast beginning Sunday."