Maine, Rhode Island Prepare for Hurricane Lee
- Hurricane Lee continues its northward journey.
- The governor of Maine declared a state of emergency.
- Power lines and fallen trees are a major concern.
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A state of emergency has been declared in Maine, and residents across much of New England are asked to check their emergency supplies, use caution in coastal areas and remain vigilant as Hurricane Lee continues its northward journey with the potential for high winds and severe tornadoes. Rainfall at the end of the week.
“We continue to closely track the storm and expect heavy rain and high winds that will likely cause storm surge, flooding, infrastructure damage, and power outages,” Gov. Janet Mills said in a social media post. mail Thursday afternoon. “We continue to strongly urge Maine residents — especially Downeast residents — to be vigilant and take steps to ensure they have what they need to stay safe as the storm approaches.”
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Maine, Rhode Island and other parts of coastal New England should be prepared before the weekend for the storm.
“It looks like early Saturday morning through Saturday evening should be the peak in New England,” said Chris Dolce, chief meteorologist at Weather.com.
Concerns about falling trees and downed power lines
Crews work on a section of Pleasant Street in Leominster, Massachusetts, that was washed out on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, after heavy rain fell on the city overnight.
(AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)
The ground in many areas is already saturated from recent rains and storms, which could increase the risk of downed trees and power lines.
“It led to a lot of soil, soil erosion, and nutrient runoff,” Central Maine Power spokesman John Breed told the Weather Channel. “This means that the root systems of a number of trees are rotting.”
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The trees in the area are still heavy with leaves, as autumn has not yet begun.
“As always, if those trees are causing down lines, we want customers to stay well clear of those lines that can be very dangerous and to call us so our crews can come out and fix that issue,” Breed said.
Wind speeds could reach more than 50 mph near the immediate coast from Massachusetts to Maine, and Cape Cod through parts of eastern Maine could see up to 3 inches of rain.
“Ultimately, what we’re looking at in eastern New England is basically the equivalent of a wet, dirty Nor’easter,” Dolce said.
Boats and watercraft must be secured
The hull of a boat is cleaned after being pulled from the water ahead of Hurricane Lee at York Harbor Marine, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023, in York, Maine. Many boaters have chosen to store their vessels earlier than usual to avoid risking damage from this weekend’s storm.
(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
The U.S. Coast Guard asks people to insure all watercraft, from large boats to kayaks and similar equipment.
“Because if we find a rowboat, or floating in the water, we assume that someone fell out and we will expend search resources trying to find that person,” US Coast Guard Capt. David McCown told The Weather Channel.
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Boat owners appear to be heeding the warnings.
“It’s a turbulent kind of day,” Kim Gillis, owner of Boothbay Harbor Marina in Maine, told The Associated Press.
He urged beachgoers to be careful
Parts of Acadia National Park in Maine were scheduled to close on Friday ahead of the storm.
In Rhode Island, Rhode Island Governor Dan Mackey urged residents to be extremely careful along the coastline. There is a high risk of rip currents in many areas.
“We have mobilized all of state government to ensure Rhode Island is prepared for the potential impacts of Hurricane Lee and additional severe weather over the next few days,” Mackey said in a statement. “We are monitoring the situation closely and we are prepared.”
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Officials in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, posted a reminder that beachgoers who go into the water in dangerous conditions or when lifeguards are off duty could be fined up to $1,250.
Parts of Massachusetts that have been cleaned of flooding in recent days and not connected to Lee should largely be spared more heavy rain.
“The center of the hurricane should remain east of Massachusetts,” Dolce said. “But the storm’s impacts will extend far beyond that because of the large wind field.”
Weather.com Reporter Jean Childs Covers breaking news and features on weather, space, climate change, environment and everything in between.
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