Calling Lee a “large hurricane,” forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said little change is expected in its strength but it is “expected to remain large and dangerous for the next couple of days.” Image courtesy NOAA
Hurricane Lee was moving north over the western Atlantic early Friday, according to forecasters who are warning parts of coastal New England to expect to experience tropical storm conditions by the afternoon.
In its 5 a.m. AST update, the National Hurricane Center located Lee about 215 miles northwest of Bermuda and about 490 miles south-southeast of Nantucket, Mass. It was moving north at 16 mph and carrying maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Advertisement
A tropical storm warning was in effect for Bermuda, the Massachusetts coast from Woods Hole to Hull, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Westport northward to the U.S.-Canada border and New Brunswick from the U.S.-Canada border to Fort Lawrence as well as for the coast of Nova Scotia from Fort Lawerence to Point Tupper.
Hurricane watches were in effect for Petit Manan Point, Maine, to the U.S.-Canada border; New Brunswick from the U.S.-Canada border to Point Lepreau, including Grand Manan Island; and Nova Scotia from Digby to Medway Harbor.
“Lee is moving toward the north near 16 mph, and a northward motion at a faster forward speed is expected through Saturday,” forecasters said in the advisory. Advertisement
“On the forecast track, the center of Lee will continue to move farther away from Bermuda this morning and approach the coast of New England and Atlantic Canada today and Saturday. Lee is then expected to turn toward the north-northeast and northeast and move across Atlantic Canada Saturday night and Sunday.”
The forecasters said they expect little change in strength to occur through Friday and overnight with Lee forecast to become “post-tropical and begin weakening by Saturday.”
However, it is still expected to be “a large and dangerous storm” when it reaches eastern New England and Atlantic Canada.
The forecasters said hurricane conditions are possible in the hurricane watch areas on Saturday and tropical storm conditions are expected to begin hitting southern New England on Friday afternoon before spreading northward.
“These conditions are likely to lead to downed trees and potential power outages,” the NHC warned.
Forecasters said swells from the storm are affecting the Lesser Antilles, the British and U.S. Virgin Islands; Puerto Rico; Hispaniola; the Turks and Caicos Islands; the Bahamas; Bermuda; the east coast of the United States; and Atlantic Canada.
Forecasters said the swells and rip currents can be life-threatening.
