Hurricane Lee strengthened to a Category 5 storm as it approached the Caribbean

Hurricane Lee quickly intensified into the first Category 5 storm of the Atlantic season late Thursday as it approached the northeastern Caribbean.

Lee is not expected to reach the mainland, but its strong effects will be felt on some islands, including the Lesser Antilles, where forecasters said there will be waves 10 to 15 feet high on Friday.

The severe storm swept through the open sea about 705 miles east of the northern Leeward Island with winds of up to 160 miles per hour as it moved west-northwest.

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency has deployed teams to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to prepare for the hurricane, the White House said.

Massive, life-threatening waves will inundate the coasts of Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Hispaniola, the Bahamas and Bermuda this weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.

“Lee continues to strengthen at an extraordinary rate,” the center said.

Dangerous surf and rip currents will impact much of the U.S. East Coast starting Sunday – and Lee is likely to remain a major hurricane into next week.

Lee is the 12th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and the first to reach Category 5.

A 13th storm was named Thursday evening as Tropical Storm Margot formed nearly 300 miles off the Cabo Verde Islands. It is expected to increase in intensity, become a hurricane over the weekend and is not expected to make landfall.

With post wires