MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) -- Maria, beginning to move away from the North Carolina Outer Banks, has wavered between strong tropical storm and minimal hurricane strength Wednesday. The system was able to regain hurricane status Wednesday afternoon, but a return to tropical storm level is likely as it gets caught up in a swift upper-level wind pattern later this week. Maria will move quickly to the east-northeast and diminish as a tropical cyclone.
Hurricane Lee became the season's fifth major hurricane Wednesday, but it will rage harmlessly over the open central parts of the north Atlantic. It will also start moving north, then northeast, which will advance its weakening process in a few days.
An upper-level low pressure system is in the western Caribbean, creating areas of clouds and rain. The situation becomes less favorable to development over the weekend, but the system will remain near the Yucatan or the southern Gulf into early next week, producing more clouds and rain. Future trends will be monitored for possible development efforts.
