MIAMI _ A tropical depression that formed late Thursday in the far east Atlantic will likely become Tropical Storm Lee, the 12th named storm of the season, but could weaken again next week.
In their 5 p.m. EDT advisory, National Hurricane Center forecasters said the system is facing moderate wind shear and dry air as it moves to the west, preventing it from intensifying quickly. However, it should strengthen to a tropical storm as it continues moving over warm water this weekend.
After that, stronger shear should shred the storm in about five days.
Friday evening, the storm was located 450 miles south-southwest of the Cabo Verde islands, moving west-northwest at 12 mph. Sustained winds were 35 mph.
More worrisome is another tropical wave east of the storm, about 1,100 miles east of the Windward Islands. While still far from land, the system has a 70 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression over the weekend. Islands in the Lesser Antilles, still recovering from last week's powerful Irma, could come under a tropical storm or hurricane watch on Saturday, forecasters said.
Forecasters also warned that Jose, which regained intensity Friday afternoon to again become a hurricane, could generate rough surf and dangerous rip currents off North Carolina and up to New England over the next few days. At 5 p.m., sustained winds reached 75 mph. The hurricane was located about 640 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras.
