Hurricane Leslie is currently moving across the Atlantic and has strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane, though there are no immediate threats to land.
According to a 4 a.m. EST advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Leslie is moving west-northwest at 7 m.p.h. and is expected to increase speed in a northwest direction overnight. This is projected to continue through Tuesday.
The storm’s maximum wind speeds have slightly increased since Friday to 80 m.p.h. The NHC predicts that while Leslie may strengthen somewhat today, it is expected to weaken on Sunday.
The storm formed in the Atlantic on Wednesday and became a Category 1 hurricane on Friday.
There are no coastal watches or warnings currently in effect.
Leslie, formed in the Atlantic in 2024, is not far behind during an unexpectedly busy hurricane season, on the heels of the devastating effects of
Hurricane Kirk, now a Category 3 hurricane, is causing storm swells that are affecting the Leeward Islands, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles. The NHC reports that these swells are expected to spread westward toward the east coast of the United States, Atlantic Canada, and the Bahamas Saturday night and Sunday, and to the Azores on Monday.
The NHC is also monitoring a disturbance in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, which it believes is highly likely to develop into a tropical depression or tropical storm, according to a shared on Saturday morning. The NHC estimates the probability of formation within the next two days at 70 percent, and over the next week at 90 percent.
This disturbance could potentially affect the Yucatán Peninsula, Florida, the Florida Keys, and the northwestern Bahamas.