Hurricane Lee turns post-tropical approaching landfall while Tropical Storm Nigel likely to form
ORLANDO, Fla. — Hurricane Lee has shifted into Post-Tropical Cyclone Lee as it speeds north with a massive wind field that continues to whip across New England and Canada. Meanwhile, the National Hurricane Center forecasts Tropical Storm Nigel to join Tropical Storm Margot in the Atlantic along with another system with chances to develop.
As of 2 p.m., the center of Lee was located about 80 miles south-southeast of Eastport, Maine, and 150 miles west-southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia, moving north at 22 mph with sustained winds of 70 mph.
“A northward motion is expected to continue, and the center of Lee is forecast to make landfall near or just east of the U.S./Canada border this afternoon. Lee is then expected to turn toward the northeast and move across Atlantic Canada tonight and Sunday,” forecasters said.
While losing the tight center of a tropical system, winds spread out wider as it becomes extratropical and hurricane-force winds are now felt 140 miles out from the center with tropical-storm-force winds out 390 miles.
“Lee is expected to be near hurricane strength when it makes landfall later this afternoon. Weakening is forecast tonight and Sunday while Lee moves across Atlantic Canada,” forecasters said.
The National Weather Service in Boston reported peak winds through early Saturday including a 62 mph gust in Dennis, Massachusetts, 60 mph in Provincetown and 58 mph in Nantucket.
A hurricane watch remains in effect for parts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia while a tropical storm warning remains in effect from Westport, Massachusetts up to the U.S.-Canada border as well as Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, and in Canada for parts of New Brunswick, all of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic, the NHC expects Tropical Depression Fifteen to grow into Tropical Storm Nigel and eventually shift into what would be the season’s sixth hurricane.
As of 11 a.m., the center of TD 15 was located about 1,035 miles east-northeast of the Caribbean’s Lesser Antilles moving north-northwest at 18 mph with sustained winds of 35 mph.
“A general northwest or north-northwest motion is expected to continue for the next few days,” forecasters said. “Strengthening is forecast during the next several days, and the system could become a hurricane early next week.”
Also still churning in the Atlantic is Tropical Storm Margot.
As of 11 a.m., the center of Margot was located about 695 miles west-southwest of the Azores moving southwest at 8 mph with sustained 50 mph winds. Its tropical-storm-force winds extend out 230 miles.
“It is expected to continue making a slow clockwise loop during the next day or two. A faster northeastward to eastward motion is forecast by early next week,” forecasters said. “Gradual weakening is forecast during the next couple of days, though slight fluctuations in intensity are possible.”
Finally, the NHC is keeping track of a tropical wave that is forecast to move off the west coast of Africa by midweek.
“Thereafter, environmental conditions are forecast to be conducive for gradual development of this system as it moves westward across the eastern tropical Atlantic,” forecasters said,
The NHC gives it a 30% chance to develop in the next seven days.
