Hurricane Lee: New Bedford and area towns announce closings, storm tips

NEW BEDFORD — New Bedford and surrounding towns are battening down the hatches in preparation for Hurricane Lee, which is currently expected to touch down Friday-Saturday as a tropical storm.

City officials say the National Weather Service has issued a tropical storm watch for Southern Bristol County, including New Bedford.

Winds are expected to increase on Friday and remain gusty through Saturday night. Tropical storm-force winds are expected late Friday night and Saturday near the coast.

Buzzards Bay is not anticipated to experience a significant storm surge, but residents are advised to beware of possible rip currents and heavy surf on ocean-facing beaches, say city officials.

Heavy rains may also produce localized flooding in low-lying areas.

City beaches, CoveWalk, HarborWalk, Fort Taber, and city-operated boat ramps to close

City beaches, CoveWalk, HarborWalk, Fort Taber and city-operated boat ramps will be closed to the public, effective Friday, Sept. 15, at 8 p.m.

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Police will be making regular patrols of the South End beaches, HarborWalk, CoveWalk, and Fort Taber, and will remove people from those areas, say city officials.

Information regarding re-openings will be provided in future city updates.

Is the New Bedford Hurricane Barrier going to close for Hurricane Lee?

The Army Corps of Engineers may make a determination regarding the closure of the New Bedford Hurricane Barrier in conjunction with high tide events.

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The New Bedford Port Authority encourages all vessel owners to make arrangements for berthing or hauling in the harbor as far in advance of the arrival of storm conditions as possible.

Vessel owners should monitor the usual channels for updates on the status of the Navigation Gate.

Buttonwood Park Zoo closed on Saturday

Buttonwood Park Zoo will be closed to the public on Saturday, Sept. 16.

The city of New Bedford Recycling Center, located at 1103 Shawmut Ave., will also be closed on Saturday, Sept. 16.

New Bedford Regional Airport to remain open as long as safe

The New Bedford Regional Airport will remain in operation for as long as it remains safe. Passengers should contact their air carriers, including Cape Air, directly to confirm their flight status.

Hurricane preparedness tips for residents and business owners

Mayor Jon Mitchell advises residents and business owners to review the “Hurricane Preparedness Checklist” available on the city webpage (https://www.newbedfordma.gov/emergency-management/prepared/) and to take proactive steps to protect their property from rain and wind damage.

Read more tips here: How can you stay safe during a hurricane, flood or tornado? Follow these easy safety tips.

Fairhaven Fire Department setting up shelter, extra staffing

In Fairhaven, Fire Chief Todd Correia said Thursday that firefighters have deployed the department's shelter trailer to Hastings Middle School, 30 School St., as a precautionary measure. However, given the latest weather reports, the town isn't expecting weather as severe as many have been anticipating.

"After this morning's discussions, we've downgraded a little bit of our responses," said Fairhaven Fire Chief Todd Correia on Thursday. "The hurricane went more east than we anticipated, but every department is still on alert, going through watch procedures....

"We did put on extra staff for Friday night and Saturday during the day just in case we do get whacked ... but we're not anticipating any major impact."

West Island, Sconticut Neck residents should get hurricane passes ASAP

Correia said there's still time for Fairhaven residents of West Island and Sconticut Neck Road to obtain hurricane passes, which would be needed for them to return to their homes after an evacuation. In that event, residents looking to return to their homes afterward would not be permitted past a checkpoint set up at the Wood School, 60 Sconticut Neck Rd., without a pass, he said.

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Hurricane passes can be picked up at the BPW building at 5 Arsene St., or the Fire Department Business Office at 146 Washington St. during business hours.

Fairhaven harbormaster: Still time to haul your boat

Fairhaven Harbormaster Timothy Cox on Thursday said he's been advising boat owners to remove their boats from the water.

"We've told people, if you have a trailer, especially down West Island, pull out," he said. "I think that's going to be the worst hit area.

As of 12:55 p.m., Cox said most large boats that had been docked at West Island were gone.

Cox said he believed the water would be at low tide during any potential brush with the storm, minimizing chances of flooding at the West Island causeway.

Shellfishing to cease starting Friday

Cox said anyone looking to do shellfishing anywhere in Buzzards Bay should note that there is a state-imposed closure on shellfishing starting at sundown Friday. Those affected can check on the status of the closure on the Fairhaven town website or Mass.gov, he said, noting he expected a reopening no earlier than Sunday afternoon.

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Dartmouth Fire District 1 prepping for possible bridge trouble

In Dartmouth, District 1 Fire Chief Peter Andrade said his department planned to schedule extra personnel early Saturday morning, as well as posting an engine on Smith Neck Road for the duration of the storm in case the Padanaram Bridge has to close or otherwise becomes impassable.

Important emergency contact numbers

• To report a downed power line, medical, fire, or other emergencies, dial 911.

• In the event of power loss, residents are encouraged to call Eversource at 1-800-592-2000. Residents should not assume that an outage affecting their location has already been reported. Eversource strongly urges the public to stay away from all down wires and to report them immediately. Eversource customers can also download a mobile app for real-time outage reporting, updates and communication with the company.

• The New Bedford Police Dept. can also be reached on its non-emergency line at 508-991-6350.

• The following police departments can also be reached on their non-emergency lines: New Bedford, 508-991-6350; Fairhaven, 508-997-7421; Acushnet, 508-998-0240; Dartmouth, 508-910-1700; Westport, 508-636-1122.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford and area towns prep for Hurricane Lee