TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The National Hurricane Center confirmed Margot has reached hurricane strength Monday afternoon, making it the fifth hurricane of the 2023 Atlantic season.
Margot was located about 1,295 miles northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. According to the NHC, the hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph and was moving north at 12 mph.
The hurricane is expected to move northward for the next few days and could strengthen more over the next 48 hours.
However, there is no present threat to land, and no watches or warnings have been issued.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Lee is continuing to maintain its status as a major Category 3 hurricane as it moves slowly west-northwest at 7 mph, expected to turn north later this week.
While there are no coastal watches or warnings, the NHC said “hazardous surf and rip current conditions” are expected at beaches across the west Atlantic.
Lee is not expected to change much for the next few days, according to forecasters.
There are also two tropical waves off the coast of west Africa that are expected to merge in the next couple of days.
After that, it has a chance to become a tropical depression by this weekend as it moves at 15 to 20 mph over tropical waters. As of this report, it has a 70% chance of development over the next week.
