Topline
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and parts of Maine were slammed on Saturday with coastal flooding and near-hurricane force winds as post-tropical cyclone Lee, a former Category 5 major hurricane, approaches landfall in eastern Canada, downing trees, damaging buildings and leading to widespread power outages.
Post-tropical storm Lee, formerly Hurricane Lee, slammed the coast of Saco, Maine on Saturday.
Key Facts
As of Saturday afternoon, Lee’s core is “brushing” the western coast of Nova Scotia, bringing “heavy rains,” tropical storm-force winds and coastal flooding to parts of eastern Canada and Maine, according to the National Hurricane Center.
More than 93,000 homes and businesses are without power in Maine as of Saturday afternoon, with another 6,500 customers lacking power in New Hampshire, according to outage tracker Poweroutage.us.
In Nova Scotia, nearly 162,000 customers are lacking power, while more than 31,500 more are without power in New Brunswick, as Lee hugs the western coast of Nova Scotia before making a projected landfall in New Brunswick, AccuWeather meteorologists predict.
Photos and videos show downed trees and damaged buildings along the coast of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, as the rare Northeast storm nears landfall, packing maximum sustained winds of 70 mph—just 4 mph shy of a Category 1 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Lee has also led to nearly 300 flights into and out of Boston Logan International Airport being canceled or delayed on Saturday, according to Flightaware.com.
Waves pounding Portland Head Light on Saturday, as post-tropical storm Lee brings “hazardous” seas … [+]
Bar Harbor, Maine, also faced pounding waves, as tropical storm-force winds prompted officials to … [+]
Rough surf battered the coastline on Bailey Island, Maine.
Severe conditions were predicted across parts of Massachusetts and Maine, as Lee packed … [+]
News Peg
Tropical storm warnings are in effect throughout coastal Maine from Kittery to the Canadian border, and north to Caribou and Presque Isle, according to the National Weather Service, which warned “very strong winds” will bring “hazardous seas” up to 24 feet in some coastal areas that could “capsize or damage vessels” through Saturday night. The NWS also warned residents to “prepare for significant wind damage” and move to safe shelter.
What To Watch For
Tropical Storm Nigel, which forecasters predict will form this weekend before undergoing a sudden period of so-called rapid intensification as it barrels toward Bermuda. If that forecast holds true, Nigel would follow a similar development as Lee, which strengthened into a Category 5 storm at an “exceptional rate” last week before weakening over cooler waters. As of Saturday morning, the storm is still considered a tropical depression, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.
Further Reading
Hurricane Lee Poses Rare New England Threat—Here’s Where Forecasters Say It Will Hit (Forbes)
Tropical Storm Lee Upgraded To Hurricane Lee In Atlantic—And Could Become Major Hurricane (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/09/16/lee-slams-canada-and-maine-in-rare-northeast-post-tropical-cyclone-photos/