ORLANDO, Fla. _ Hurricane Lorezno is slowly losing strength on Tuesday but is expected to pass near the western Azores as a Category 2 storm Wednesday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center. The massive storm's effects can also be felt all the way across the Atlantic with dangerous swells hitting even Florida.
"A high risk of dangerous and life-threatening rip currents will be present at all east central Florida beaches today due to long period swell from Hurricane Lorenzo," said forecasters with the National Weather Service in Melbourne. "Beachgoers are urged to be extremely cautious at the coast today and to avoid entering the surf, no matter what skill of swimmer."
In its path, though, is the Azores in the north Atlantic. As of 8 a.m., the Category 2 hurricane has 100 mph winds and is located 555 miles from the island of Flores in the western Azores heading northeast at 22 mph.
A hurricane warning is in effect for Flores, Corvo, Faial, Pico, Sao Jorge, Graciosa and Terceira, the NHC said. A tropical storm warning is in effect for Sao Miguel and Santa Maria.
The storm's far reaching hurricane-force winds can be detected 90 miles away from the center of Lorenzo and its tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 345 miles. Azores is expected to feel the effects of these winds by tonight.
Forecasters project that it should hit parts of Ireland, Scotland and England by Friday morning, the NHC said. Although, Lorenzo is expected to downgrade into a tropical storm by the end of this week.
Lorenzo is the second largest hurricane of the 2019 Atlantic season behind Category 5 Hurricane Dorian, and is the largest hurricane ever recorded in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean.
The storm developed into a major hurricane quickly last Thursday with winds up 130 mph. After experiencing some weakening, Lorenzo upgraded to a Cat. 5 storm Saturday with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph.
The NHC said Friday that swells from Lorenzo made their way to the coasts of South America and Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean over the weekend and began hitting Bermuda, the Bahamas the U.S. East Coast early this week.
Meanwhile two tropical disturbances were observed in the Caribbean Sea.
The first is a broad area of low pressure located between Grand Cayman and Jamaica, the NHC said in its 5 a.m. update. The area of disorganized showers has a 10% chance of becoming a tropical depression in the next two to five days as it moves west-northwest toward the Yucatan peninsula.
The second area of disturbance is east of the southeastern Bahamas and has a 10% chance of developing in the next five days as well as a 10% chance of doing the same in the next 48 hours.
