Now a Category 3 hurricane, Hurricane Lee is anticipated to hit the East Coast

The first Category 5 hurricane of the season, Hurricane Lee, downgraded to a Category 3 storm Tuesday as it continued to churn across the warm waters of the Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The hurricane center stated that "dangerous surf and rip currents are affecting portions of the southeast U.S. coast," and that same conditions "are forecast to spread northward along much of the U.S. East Coast during the next couple of days."

Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. EDT, Lee had maximum sustained winds of 115 mph. Its center was located around 545 miles south of Bermuda, and it was moving at a speed of 6 mph over the Atlantic. 

The Lesser Antilles, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Turks and Caicos Islands were all experiencing significant ocean surges, according to the Miami-based hurricane center.

The storm's long-term path is still uncertain as meteorologists keep an eye out for any indications that it might move more toward the American coast and increase the likelihood of making landfall in New England. 

The National Hurricane Center warns that "catastrophic damage will occur" from a Category 4 or 5 making landfall and classifies these storms as "major" hurricanes because of their potential to bring "significant loss of life and damage."

According to the hurricane center, Bermuda was under a tropical storm watch as of Tuesday morning, meaning that tropical storm conditions might form there within 48 hours.