Lee strengthens into a hurricane and could reach Category 5 strength in record-warm Atlantic

(CNN) — Lee has strengthened into a hurricane as it moves over a record-warm Atlantic, with 75 mph sustained winds, according to a 5 p.m. EDT advisory from the National Hurricane Center. The warm ocean waters are expected to fuel the storm to near Category-5 strength as it approaches the eastern Caribbean. Lee was located about 1,130 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands, the center said. The storm had rapidly strengthened earlier Wednesday: Its sustained winds strengthened by 35 mph in the 24 hours after it formed as a tropical depression Tuesday morning.