The Department of Disaster Management has reported that the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services has discontinued the tropical cyclone alert for the British Virgin Islands and the rest of the Leeward Islands as Hurricane Lee has exited the monitored area.
However, monitoring of the system continues as it remains a powerful Category 5 storm with winds of 165 mph, moving west-northwest at 14 mph.
Hurricane Lee has undergone rapid intensification making it one of the strongest hurricanes to be recorded this season.
Currently, the storm poses no immediate threat to land, but it could generate large and dangerous swells that could reach the waters of the Territory, as well as the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Bermuda and Hispaniola by the weekend.
Rainfall is expected to be minimal, with no more than 2 inches of rain possible from Lee between now and Tuesday. The meteorological services advises residents to continue to monitor Hurricane Lee until it is out of the area and to follow any warnings that may be issued accordingly.
The storm is expected to move west-northwestward for the next few days, followed by a turn to the north and then northeast by early next week.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warns that Lee is an “extremely dangerous” hurricane and urges people to monitor its progress and follow any advice from local authorities.
The NHC also advises that another tropical storm, Margot, has formed in the eastern Atlantic and could become a hurricane by Friday.