Hurricane Larry slowly strengthening, forecast to be a Category 4 storm this weekend
Hurricane Larry is slowly strengthening as it moves across the Atlantic and is forecast to become a major hurricane soon.
Larry is not expected to affect Florida.
The Category 1 storm was about 1,090 miles west of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands and about 1,410 miles east of the Leeward Islands as of Friday’s 11 a.m. update. Its maximum sustained winds were 90 mph, with higher gusts, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Larry is forecast to strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane by late Friday or early Saturday. The forecast shows it becoming a Category 4 with 140 mph winds this weekend as it moves across open water. It should weaken back to a Category 3 storm with 125 mph winds as it inches closer to Bermuda next week.
On the forecast track, Larry was moving toward the west-northwest quickly near 16 mph, a track that should continue for the next few days. A turn to the northwest is expected by early next week.
Forecasters say Larry’s swells will cause an increased risk of “life-threatening” rip currents and high surf for the Lesser Antilles Sunday.
“Large swells are likely to spread to areas surrounding the western Atlantic later in the week as well,” forecasters wrote.
What about the other disturbance?
Forecasters are watching a disturbance that was producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms over the Gulf of Honduras and portions of Central America early Friday.
The system is expected to move west-northwest across Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula, bringing heavy rains to that area during the next couple of days, according to the hurricane center.
Forecasters say the disturbance could move over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico later this weekend, though unfavorable upper-level winds should limit its chances of development as it treks north or northwest over the western Gulf of Mexico early next week.
As of the 2 p.m. update, it had a 0% chance of formation in the next 48 hours and a 30% chance of formation through the next five days.
This story was originally published September 3, 2021 at 7:19 AM.
