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#1152421 (Received by flhurricane at: 10:54 PM 11.Sep.2023)
TCDAT3

Hurricane Lee Discussion Number 27
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL132023
1100 PM AST Mon Sep 11 2023

This evening, Lee appears to be in the final stages of completing
another eyewall replacement cycle (ERC). A GPM microwave pass at
2201 UTC showed that the outer eyewall remains closed and, while it
remains quite large, continues to contract slowly as the inner
eyewall decays within. The initial intensity is held at 100 kt this
advisory, blending the subjective and objective intensity estimates
this evening. Another Air Force Reserve Reconnaissance mission is
scheduled to investigate the storm overnight, and several saildrones
along Lee`s path are also likely to provide additional in-situ
observations in the hurricane over the next day or so.

Lee continues to move slowly west-northwestward, with the motion
estimated at 295/6 kt. Lee is expected to continue moving slowly
west-northwest or northwest over the next 24-36 h while mid-level
ridging remains in place centered northwest of the hurricane.
However, the ridge should then become eroded and shift eastward as a
mid- to upper-level trough swings into the northeastern United
States. This pattern change should result in Lee turning northward
and gradually accelerating. The biggest spread in the track
guidance solutions remains in the along-track direction, with the
GFS on the faster end, and ECMWF on the slower end. The NHC track
forecast continues to favor a blend of the simple and corrected
consensus aids, and is very close to the previous forecast track
through 72 h, and is just a touch east of the prior track
thereafter. On this track, Lee is likely to pass near, but west of,
Bermuda late Thursday and Friday and then be situated offshore of
the mid-Atlantic states and New England late Friday and Saturday.

With the pending completion of Lee`s ERC, expected over the next
6-12 hours, the NHC intensity forecast continues to show some modest
re-intensification. This seems reasonable given that sea surface
temperatures (SSTs) observed by a saildrone in Lee`s south outer
eyewall are still around 29 C. After the next day or so, however,
coupled atmospheric-ocean models suggest the large wind field of Lee
will begin to upwell cooler SSTs, and Lee is still forecast to move
over a cool SST wake left behind by Hurricanes Idalia and Franklin
later this week. In addition, the approaching mid-latitude trough
should also result in an increase in shear, and dry air entrainment,
which should result in more steady weakening later this week and
over the weekend. This trough interaction will also ultimately lead
to Lee transitioning to an extratropical cyclone by the end of the
forecast period as it crosses the north wall of the Gulf Stream. The
NHC intensity forecast is a bit lower than the prior cycle after 72
h but remains close to the consensus intensity aids.

Although Lee is expected to weaken later in the week, it is still
expected to significantly increase in size and hazards will extend
well away from the storm center by the end of the forecast period.


KEY MESSAGES:

1. Dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents will affect
portions of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto
Rico, Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas,
Bermuda, and most of the U.S East Coast through much of the week.

2. Lee could bring strong winds, rainfall, and high surf impacts to
Bermuda later this week. Interests there should continue to monitor
updates to the forecast of Lee during the next several days.

3. It remains too soon to know what level of additional impacts Lee
might have along the Northeast U.S. coast and Atlantic Canada late
this week and this weekend. However, because wind and rainfall
hazards will likely extend well away from the center as Lee grows in
size, users should continue to monitor updates to Lee`s forecast
during the next several days.


FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INIT 12/0300Z 23.9N 64.8W 100 KT 115 MPH
12H 12/1200Z 24.4N 65.6W 105 KT 120 MPH
24H 13/0000Z 25.0N 66.5W 105 KT 120 MPH
36H 13/1200Z 26.1N 67.2W 100 KT 115 MPH
48H 14/0000Z 27.5N 67.6W 95 KT 110 MPH
60H 14/1200Z 29.4N 67.9W 90 KT 105 MPH
72H 15/0000Z 31.6N 67.8W 80 KT 90 MPH
96H 16/0000Z 37.6N 66.4W 70 KT 80 MPH
120H 17/0000Z 43.0N 66.0W 60 KT 70 MPH...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP

$$
Forecaster Papin