The projected path for Hurricane Lee now encompasses all three Maritime provinces, indicating the storm’s probable trajectory. The imminent threat of tempestuous weather persists for the Maritimes, with Saturday and Sunday expected to bear the brunt of the storm.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Hurricane Lee is maintaining its status as a Category 3 storm. The swath of uncertainty embedded within the forecast renders the cone significantly broad, exceeding 700 km in width.
In their inaugural bulletin on Hurricane Lee, the Canadian Hurricane Centre expressed that the storm’s potential course is wide-ranging at this juncture. The possibilities extend from somewhere in Maine to the southeast of Nova Scotia. The exact regions most severely impacted by the storm will be determined by the specific route traversed by the storm’s center.
To illustrate, a more westerly direction towards Maine would direct the most potent winds towards the coastal regions of Maine on Saturday. This would also result in the heaviest rainfall for the state, extending into the eastern precincts of Quebec. On the other hand, a trajectory through southwestern Nova Scotia would usher the fiercest winds into the western parts of the province and southern New Brunswick on Saturday, culminating in torrential rains primarily in southwestern Nova Scotia, with subsequent extension into New Brunswick. Over the ensuing days, the storm’s trajectory is expected to be narrowed down.
According to the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center, Lee is predicted to approach the Maritimes as a Category 1 hurricane Saturday morning.
However, as Lee advances west of Bermuda, it is slated to encounter relatively cooler water remnants from Hurricane Franklin’s passage last week. Coupled with some unfavorable wind conditions, this development is expected to mitigate the intensity of the storm, reducing it to a Category 1 hurricane. Consequently, the storm will be weaker than Hurricanes Fiona and Dorian, which made their landfall as equivalent Category 2 storms.
While the intensity of the storm may subdue, it does not eradicate its potential for considerable impact. The storm’s dimensions are expected to expand even as its intensity diminishes. The diffusion of wind and rain from the storm’s center is anticipated to affect a vast area. The wind strength may trigger widespread power outages in the Maritimes and areas subjected to the heaviest rain could potentially face flood risks, including flash flooding. Additionally, high surf conditions are expected to impact parts of the coast, leading to possible disruptions in travel services like ferry operations.
Irrespective of whether the storm veers towards Maine or the Maritimes, it’s expected to linger over the region for a prolonged period, with the worst of the weather slated to strike on Saturday. However, some residual effects, such as gusty winds and rainfall, may linger through Sunday.
