Hurricane Lee won't hit Florida, but waves, rough surf and dangerous rip currents will

It doesn't look like the Weather Channel's Jim Cantore will be making a stop in Florida for Hurricane Lee, and there's some question whether the storm will hit the East Coast of the U.S. at all.

But hurricanes have effects far beyond the forecast cone, and Lee has strengthened back into a major hurricane. What will this mean for Florida's coast this week?

Expect rough surf, highly dangerous rip currents and larger breaking waves, at least, according to the National Weather Service in Melbourne.

Where is Hurricane Lee going? Is Hurricane Lee going to hit Florida?

Virtually all the spaghetti models show Lee turning sharply northward, away from the U.S. and potentially threatening a direct hit on Canada or Nova Scotia. But the East Coast can expect to feel an impact, forecasters said.

What category is Hurricane Lee?

As of 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 11, Lee had strengthened back to a large Category 3 with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph.

On Sept. 8, Lee rose briefly to Category 5 with winds of 165 mph, making it the strongest hurricane in the Atlantic so far during the 2023 season. Lee strengthened to a Category 5 within 25 hours of being an 80 mph Category 1 storm, and that sort of rapid intensification is extremely rare. The hurricane quickly dropped back to Category 4 that Friday morning and continued to weaken over the weekend before strengthening again.

It's too soon to tell just what Lee will do and how much impact it might have in Florida since Lee is “expected to slow down considerably over the southwestern Atlantic,” the hurricane center said.

NHC forecasters expect Lee to strengthen into a Category 4 hurricane again Monday and maintain that strength through late Wednesday, Sept. 13.

What is Hurricane Lee's path and trajectory?

Lee is moving toward the northwest near 7 mph. A slow west-northwestward motion is expected during the next couple of days, followed by a gradual turn toward the north by midweek. On the forecast track Lee is expected to pass well north of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico during the next day or two.

Hurricane Lee tracker: Follow path of Category 3 storm as it moves north in Atlantic Ocean

Will Hurricane Lee affect the Florida coast?

"Seas and surf will build to dangerous levels along the central and northern coast of Florida and expand northward through the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts this week," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg said.

Expect dangerous conditions at Atlantic beaches this week, according to the National Weather Service Melbourne. The building surf will lead to frequent and strong rip currents, pounding waves, beach erosion and even coastal flooding at times of high tide.

The NWS has issued a hazardous weather outlook from Flagler Beach to the southern Brevard barrier islands, warning of "a high risk of numerous life-threatening rip currents Monday at all Atlantic beaches in Central Florida.

"Entering the ocean is strongly discouraged," the NWS said in its release. "Remember to heed all warnings fromthe beach patrol."

How big will waves from Hurricane Lee get in Florida?

Increasing swells from Hurricane Lee, distant though it is, are expected to result in larger breaking waves of 5 to 7 feet by Wednesday evening through at least Friday or Saturday, the NWS said.

Is Hurricane Lee causing dangerous rip currents?

Dangerous rip currents — powerful channels of water that can pull even the strongest swimmers away from the beach into deeper water — are expected along the entire coast of Florida down to the southern Brevard county line through late Tuesday night.

Farther south there's a moderate risk of rip currents through Monday evening.

Pay attention to forecasts and any warning flags on the beach (red flags mean dangerous rip current activity is expected, double red flags mean the water is closed to the public), and ask a lifeguard about conditions before you go in the water. You can check conditions before you go at weather.gov/beach/florida.

If you get caught in a rip current:

• Don't panic or thrash about. Don't fight the current.

• You may be able to get out of the current by swimming with it parallel to the shore (or just floating or treading water) until it fades or circulates back to shore, and then you can swim to the beach.

• You also can try swimming with the current toward breaking waves, where you may be able to swim for shore.

• If you can't reach the shore or you're being pulled farther out to sea, or you're getting tired, draw attention to yourself by waving or shouting for help.

Is it safe to go boating amid Hurricane Lee?

Boaters on Florida's central east coast can expect to see lightning storms, showers and wind gusts up to 35 knots Monday, and small craft operation will become hazardous in the open Atlantic waters and near inlets as seas build by the middle of this week.

USA TODAY NETWORK Florida audience team member Cheryl McCloud contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Hurricane Lee track, path for Florida: How high will the waves get?