Hurricane Lee advances towards US as warnings issued for New England
Storm Lee made landfall at around 4pm in far western Nova Scotia, with winds whipping at 70mph, which killed one person and left thousands without electricity.
Although it has been downgraded to a ‘post-tropical cyclone,’ it is still producing hurricane-force winds, battering a large swath of New England and Maritime Canada.
A 51-year-old motorist died in Searsport, Maine, after a large tree limb fell on his vehicle on a US highway.
The tree limb brought down live power lines, and utility workers had to cut power before the man could be removed, said police chief Brian Lunt.
The storm was so big that it caused power outages several hundred miles from its center. At midday Saturday, 11 per cent of electricity customers in Maine lacked power, along with 27 per cent of Nova Scotia, 8 per cent of New Brunswick and 3 per cent of Prince Edward Island.
Although both Massachusetts and Maine previously declared states of emergency, Massachusetts lifted its state of emergency on Saturday.
The Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning for hundreds of miles of coastline from Massachusetts to Nova Scotia, affecting some 9 million people.
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Canada’s hurricane center afternoon update:
Post-tropical storm Lee is currently affecting the Lower North Shore. It will give total rainfall amounts of 30 to 50 millimetres.
Rain will end this evening. Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads.
Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible.
Watch for possible washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts.
Kelly Rissman17 September 2023 22:30
Post-tropical cyclone Lee has taken at least one life
A 51-year-old motorist in Searsport, Maine, was killed after the gusts caused a large tree limb to topple onto his vehicle on Saturday on US Highway 1.
The tree limb also brought down live power lines, meaning utility workers had to cut power before the man could be removed, police chief Brian Lunt said. The 51-year-old later died at a hospital, the chief said.
Read more on the aftermath of the storm here.
Kelly Rissman17 September 2023 22:00
Post-tropical storm Lee is crossing Eastern Quebec
According to Canada’s hurricane center, Lee will result in about 1 to 4 inches of rain, which is expected to stop this evening.
“Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads. Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible. Watch for possible washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts,” the center wrote.
Kelly Rissman17 September 2023 21:30
Canada’s hurricane center gives an update
The remnant low from Lee is crossing the Gulf of St. Lawrence today.
The current central pressure is estimated at 989 millibars. Conditions continue to improve in many areas of Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick.
Environment Canada Hurricane Center tracks Lee’s path
(Environment Canada Hurricane Center)
Kelly Rissman17 September 2023 21:00
Kelly Rissman17 September 2023 20:30
Climate change could bring more monster storms to New England
When it comes to hurricanes, New England can’t compete with Florida or the Caribbean.
But scientists said Friday the arrival of storms like Hurricane Lee this weekend could become more common in the region as the planet warms, including in places such as the Gulf of Maine.
One recent study found climate change could result in hurricanes expanding their reach more often into mid-latitude regions, which include New York, Boston and even Beijing.
The study says the factors include warmer sea surface temperatures in these regions and the shifting and weakening of the jet streams, which are the strong bands of air currents encircling the planet in both hemispheres.
Kelly Rissman17 September 2023 20:00
Leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party offers support for those affected by Lee
Kelly Rissman17 September 2023 19:30
Post-tropical cyclone Lee has taken at least one life
A 51-year-old motorist in Searsport, Maine, was killed after the gusts caused a large tree limb to topple onto his vehicle on Saturday on US Highway 1.
The tree limb also brought down live power lines, meaning utility workers had to cut power before the man could be removed, police chief Brian Lunt said. The 51-year-old later died at a hospital, the chief said.
Read more on the aftermath of the storm here.
Kelly Rissman17 September 2023 19:00
Canada’s hurricane center forecasts Lee’s path
Environment Canada Hurricane Center tracks Lee’s path
(Environment Canada Hurricane Center)
Kelly Rissman17 September 2023 18:30
Meteorologist captures Lee’s effects in Nova Scotia
Kelly Rissman17 September 2023 18:00
