Hurricane Lee heading for landfall in Canada
New England may see hazardous conditions
Hurricane Lee continued to chug across the open Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday on a path that will likely take it toward Canada over the weekend, forecasters said. Impacts from the weakened storm could affect New England and hazardous surf and dangerous rip current are expected along the East Coast.
The storm, now a Category 3 major hurricane with winds of 115 mph, was located 555 miles south of Bermuda Tuesday morning. A tropical storm watch was issued for Bermuda, meaning that tropical storm conditions are possible there within the next two days.
“Landfall is most likely in Nova Scotia, Canada, this weekend, but any waver in the track caused by non-tropical weather systems such as the high pressure to the east and the approaching jet stream could pull the hurricane westward toward New England or push it farther east toward Newfoundland and Labrador,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Bernie Rayno.
Lee is currently huge, with hurricane-force winds extending 90 miles from the center, and tropical-stormforce winds 205 miles from the center.
Lee is expected to bring hazardous surf and rip current conditions to beaches across the East Coast all week, the National Hurricane Center said.
Farther east in the Atlantic, Margot has strengthened into a hurricane.
Lee expected to weaken into a tropical storm
Lee was forecast to weaken into a tropical storm by Sunday and likely make landfall in Nova Scotia, Canada, according to AccuWeather.
“A significant storm surge will occur along with the strongest winds and risk of property damage,” AccuWeather said in a statement.
Winds and flooding also are expected to affect Rhode Island, eastern Massachusetts, southeastern New Hampshire and central and coastal Maine, forecasters said.
Rip current risk at US beaches
Though the significant winds are likely to stay offshore for most of the U.S. coast, rip currents and dangerous surf are expected, according to the hurricane center and National Weather Service offices along the coast. Bigger waves and rip currents already have begun to reach East Coast beaches, the weather service said Monday, and that’s only expected to increase.
The National Weather Service warns that “rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. Here’s what you’re supposed to do if you’re swimming and get caught in a rip current: “If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don’t swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help.”
Margot now a hurricane but is no threat to land
Meanwhile, Margot became the fifth named hurricane of the season on Monday. It was located some 890 miles southwest of the Azores. It had maximum sustained winds of 85 mph and was moving north at 12 mph. Margot is forecast to remain over open waters and is no threat to any land areas.