New satellite images show the vast area across the Atlantic Ocean being churned up by Hurricane Lee, with tropical storm force winds extending as far as 355 miles from the eye.
Lee is a Category 1 storm moving north of Bermuda along the Atlantic coast as of Thursday evening, but what worries meteorologists is the size of the storm, not its wind speed.
Storm surge warnings of between one and three feet are in effect for Long Island and New England. Heavy rain is expected on the Cape from Saturday, although the Weather Channel reported huge waves could hit the east coast as early as Friday.
“Coastal flooding, accompanied by large and destructive waves from Hurricane #Lee, is possible along the coasts of Long Island and New England,” the National Hurricane Center’s Storm Surge Unit wrote in their 5 p.m. AST update Thursday.
Lee is now forecast to make landfall as a tropical storm in Canada on Sunday, or perhaps in far eastern Maine.
Dramatic new satellite images showed Hurricane Lee’s predicted path, with gusts stretching 355 miles
Forecasters warn of storm surges along the New England coast
The National Hurricane Center has issued warnings about approaching the New England coast
A hurricane watch has been issued from Stonington, Maine, to Point Lepreau, New Brunswick, as well as from Digby to Medway Harbour, Nova Scotia, including Yarmouth.
That watch means hurricane conditions are possible in these areas within 48 hours The Weather Channel‘s latest prediction.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for the coast of Massachusetts, including Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
A tropical storm warning is also in effect for Bermuda.
In Canada, meanwhile, a tropical storm warning is in effect for much of the Maritimes – the easternmost provinces.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has ordered the National Guard to deploy to parts of Long Island’s coast, and beach resort residents are keeping a low profile.
New England is preparing for flash floods and tornadoes.
The storm, a Category 1 hurricane, will slam the Massachusetts coast with winds of up to 40 mph, batter Provincetown and even produce tornadoes in some parts of New England.
Hurricane Lee is on track to devastate the Massachusetts coast this weekend with winds of up to 40 mph
Steve Cook of Provincetown fills one of three long sleeves he brought to the city’s highway garage, where residents were allowed to fill sandbags before Hurricane Lee. Provincetown DPWs had sandbags at their highway garage for residents to fill to assist with flooding issues due to predicted stormy weather from Hurricane Lee
Jody Scheske of Provincetown fills sandbags at the Highway Garage Thursday morning. Provincetown DPWs had sandbags at their highway garage for residents to fill to assist with flooding issues due to predicted stormy weather from Hurricane Lee
Hurricane Lee is expected to bring storms that will devastate New England on Friday evening and Saturday after the area saw days of extreme weather that caused torrential rains, flooding and sinkholes.
The hurricane could also unleash intense storms across the region, with up to 10 inches of rain falling in just six hours on Wednesday, causing extensive damage including uprooting trees and downing power lines in Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Gov. Dan McKee of Rhode Island announced that the state’s emergency operations center had been activated and would monitor the storm in the coming days.
“The best thing you can do right now: stay tuned for frequent updates,” McKee said.
Hurricane Lee’s impact is expected to be outside the forecast path. The National Hurricane Center has announced a hurricane watch extending from Stonington, Maine to the U.S.-Canadian border
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey also declared a state of emergency late Tuesday evening, following “catastrophic flash flooding and property damage” in two counties and other communities.
The state’s emergency management agency is monitoring the weather and is prepared to provide assistance, she said.
The state is monitoring the condition of the dams, she said, urging residents to take flood warnings seriously and stay off the roads if ordered to do so.
Satellite photo from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Lee in the Atlantic Ocean. The hurricane is forecast to devastate New England this week
The flooding caused several sinkholes in Leominster, Massachusetts, including one at a dealership that swallowed several cars.
In Providence, Rhode Island, downpours flooded a parking lot and parts of a shopping center. Firefighters used inflatable boats to rescue more than 20 people stranded in cars.
In Danbury, Connecticut, officials said they had to rescue several people from vehicles stuck in the water.
The hurricane is moving north and could make landfall in Nova Scotia, Canada, possibly as a tropical storm, forecasters said.
At this time, Hurricane Lee’s track is not expected to make landfall in the New York area, but the storm could cause beach erosion on the coastline.