How Will Hurricane Lee Affect The Hudson Valley? What You Need To Know

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Right now, a rapidly strengthening Hurricane Lee is expected to make a direct hit in our region, but the potential for bands of torrential rain and gusty winds could cause major problems after an already wet week as the storm approaches the Northeast. Thunderstorms are in the forecast across the Hudson Valley for most of the week.

The massive hurricane gathered strength as it barreled over the Atlantic Ocean, and looked likely to move north of Puerto Rico and through the northeast Caribbean over the weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Lee is the 12th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, and so far, is the most powerful, with 155 mph sustained winds.

"Lee is a dangerous category 5 hurricane, and further strengthening is possible," the center warned Friday. But the major hurricane's future path into next week has so far remained unclear.

Forecast models first reported by CBS New York initially showed Lee making landfall in the Mid-Atlantic about Sept. 16 and then drifting over the coast toward New York.

Later projections hinted that Lee could stay over the sea just off the mainland, bringing heavy rain and wind to eastern Long Island, CBS reported.

The National Hurricane Center cautioned Friday that it was too soon to know what Lee's level of impact, if any, would be to the East Coast, Atlantic Canada or Bermuda, especially since the storm is expected to slow down considerably over the southwestern Atlantic.

The note of optimistic caution came with a caveat: "Regardless, dangerous surf and rip currents are expected along most of the U.S. East Coast beginning Sunday.

This weather update relied on reporting from Patch's Matt Troutman.