Hurricane Lorenzo Expected to Strengthen Into 3rd Cat 3 Atlantic Hurricane of 2019

Hurricane Jerry has formed and is now a Category 1 storm as it churns in the Atlantic Ocean. (NHC)

Hurricane Lorenzo is forecast to become the third Category 3 storm of this Atlantic hurricane season in the coming days, national hurricane center (NHC) officials say.

As of 5 p.m., Sept. 25, Hurricane Lorenzo is still about 835 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands, reported the National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory. A Category 1 hurricane with peak winds of 85 mph, it is moving west-northwest at 18 mph.

Lorenzo is also expected to be a major hurricane by Thursday morning, said the NHC. Major hurricanes are Category 3 intensity or above.

Another tropical storm the NHC is monitoring, Jerry, has become a post-tropical cyclone on Wednesday. It is expected to pass just to the northwest of Bermuda on Wednesday, bringing heavy rainfall over the island.

Closer to home, Tropical Storm Karen swirled away from the northeast Caribbean, causing power outages, flooding, and landslides in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Even as Karen moves away from the affected U.S. territories, it will continue to produce heavy rainfall, potentially causing additional flash floods and mudslides through Wednesday, forecasters cautioned.

“On the forecast track, the center of Karen will continue to move farther away from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands today through Thursday,” though rains over those places are expected to continue Wednesday, the NHC said.

By storm’s end, Karen will generally have dropped up to 5 inches of rain in Puerto Rico, with some isolated areas getting up to 8 inches. “These rains may cause flash flooding and mudslides, especially in mountainous areas,” the NHC said.

Karen is now expected to slow down and make a move back toward the Bahamas. It’s not clear yet if Florida will be in Karen’s projected path.

Also, a tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico has been given a low chance of development, 10%, and is expected to move inland over northeastern Mexico on the weekend.

The 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, and this year includes the names: Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van, and Wendy.