Parts of coastal New England and Atlantic Canada are under a tropical storm watch this week as Hurricane Lee continues on its path upward.
With maximum sustained winds of up to 100mph, Lee was 265 miles south-west of Bermuda as of Thursday morning, the National Hurricane Center said.
Bermuda saw strong winds and heavy rain caused by Lee.
An update issued by the National Hurricane Center said: “Hurricane conditions and coastal flooding are possible in portions of eastern Maine, southern New Brunswick, and western Nova Scotia on Saturday, and a Hurricane Watch is in effect for that area.”
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season has been described as “unprecedented”.
Dr Phil Klotzbach, the Colorado State University Senior Research Scientist and hurricane expert, told the NBC News Tampa affiliate station WFLA: “We just haven’t had that combination before, so in that perspective, this really is uncharted territory. We’ve had warm Atlantics, we’ve had El Niños, but not really the two in combination.”
Lee is weakening in strength, but expanding in size. US state officials are already bracing for its potentially devastating impacts.
Peter Rogers, director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency (Mema) said in a statement on Wednesday: “The track of Lee is still unknown, but we want folks to pay attention to this storm through the weekend. Mema is working with state, federal, non-profit, and private sector partners to assess resources and ensure readiness in advance of the storm. We want everyone to stay safe and please check in on your neighbors.”
Upon reaching Massachusetts, there is potential for life-threatening storm surge flooding – possibly over 4ft – over the weekend, particularly in Cape Cod and Nantucket.
Severe weather has already battered parts of Massachusetts. On Tuesday, the Massachusetts governor, Maura Healey, declared a state of emergency after flash floods washed away roads, opened sink holes, downed trees and destroyed homes and buildings in Worcester, Bristol counties and elsewhere.
Healey said in an official statement: “This declaration will expedite our efforts to deliver relief to impacted communities and bolster our ability to access federal resources. We’re grateful for the public officials who have been going above and beyond to respond to this emergency and our hearts are with the people of Massachusetts who are confronting catastrophic damage to their homes, businesses and communities.”
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency cautioned residents to be ready to evacuate and prepare for power outages by keeping cellphones and electronics charge, make sure the refrigerator and freezer were at their coldest settings, and keep car gas tanks full.
