Hurricane Lee still on track to stay far away from Florida, rip currents a risk this week

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The First Alert Weather Team is continuing to track Hurricane Lee.

As of the 11 a.m. Monday advisory, Lee was a Category 3 with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, and is moving west-northwest at 7 mph.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

That still makes Lee a major hurricane, which is a Category 3 or higher.

Lee became a Category 5 hurricane late Thursday night, but was back down to a Category 4 on Friday morning.

Lee’s forecast track has not changed much and is still projected to stay clear of Florida and the Caribbean islands.

DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

Action News Jax First Alert Weather Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh said that an easterly swell, rough seas, and surf will impact our local beaches for much of this week with a high rip current risk.

Buresh said the forecast models are in remarkably good agreement, showing a powerful hurricane not reaching Jacksonville’s latitude until Thursday through early Friday, while 1,500+ miles to the east.

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Buresh said in Talking the Tropics with Mike that there continues to be a threat for impacts from Lee for New England by late this week into the weekend as well as Nova Scotia & Newfoundland.

The First Alert Weather Team is also tracking Hurricane Margot. Buresh said it should stay far out to sea over the east and then central Atlantic.

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.