Hurricane Leslie is currently making its way across the Atlantic Ocean and has strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane. However, there are no hazards affecting land at this time.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), in an advisory released at 4 a.m. EST on Saturday, Leslie is moving west-northwest at 7 mph. The storm is expected to increase its speed and continue northwest through Tuesday.
Leslie's maximum wind speeds have increased slightly since Friday to 80 mph. While the NHC noted that the storm may strengthen a bit more on Saturday, it is predicted to weaken on Sunday.
Leslie formed in the Atlantic on Wednesday and became a hurricane on Friday. It is the 12th storm of the Atlantic hurricane season in 2024, following Hurricane Kirk and the recent impacts of Hurricane Helene.
Hurricane Kirk is currently a Category 3 hurricane and is generating storm swells affecting the Leeward Islands, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles. The NHC warns that these swells are expected to spread westward, reaching the east coast of the United States, Atlantic Canada, and the Bahamas by Saturday night and Sunday, then moving toward the Azores on Monday.
Additionally, the NHC is monitoring a disturbance over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, which has a high likelihood of developing into a tropical depression or tropical storm. The chances of formation over the next two days are estimated at 70 per cent, increasing to 90 per cent over the next week. This disturbance could impact the Yucatán Peninsula, Florida, the Florida Keys, and the northwestern Bahamas.
