Brockton and Taunton report few effects from Hurricane Lee: What we saw

The storm formerly known as Hurricane Lee has passed the Brockton and Taunton area, headed north. The top emergency management folks in both cities report few effects.

Steve Hooke, director of Brockton's Emergency Management Agency, said the city experienced only "some gusty winds." Hooke, who is running for an at-large city council seat in Tuesday's preliminary election, said in a noon phone call that residents should "go out and enjoy the day."

Hooke did caution that if residents come across a downed wire, to stay clear of it and call 911.

In Taunton, Police Chief Ed Walsh reported about 11:15 a.m. Saturday that he was not aware of any damage from the storm.

Saturday morning: So far, so good

Good morning! The Enterprise and Gazette are monitoring the storm and will bring you live updates when needed. So far we're not hearing much in terms of storm damage from the winds or rain associated with what was once Hurricane Lee.

There was a power outage affecting about 1,450 people on Brockton's East Side on Friday night, but according to the Eversource outage map, those customers have had service restored.

Hurricane Lee reached land Friday morning following a 10-day journey across the Atlantic where it spent several hours at Category 5 status. The storm will continue to hit eastern New England and Atlantic Canada Saturday with heavy rain, strong winds and pounding surf.

AccuWeather hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski said the worst conditions began late Friday as "Lee tracks more than 100 miles to the east Saturday morning."

Lee completed its transition from a hurricane to a post-tropical cyclone this morning, still with 80 mph hurricane-force winds.

What is a "post-tropical cyclone"?

When a hurricane loses its tropical characteristics and becomes more "extra-tropical," associated with fronts and a larger wind field, said meteorologist Sara Johnson, with the National Weather Service in Gray/Portland, Maine. "Please do not let the naming convention detract from the still dangerous storm which is expected to bring strong winds and dangerous seas to the area," Johnson said.

Hurricane Lee - still powerful: What is a subtropical storm and how is it different from a tropical or extratropical system?

How big is Hurricane Lee? It's as wide as the state of Montana and 15 Rhode Islands

Is Brockton in a hurricane evacuation zone?

According to MEMA, evacuation during a hurricane may become necessary when there is a risk of a storm surge. “The destructive power of storm surges and large battering waves is often the greatest threat to life and property,” the agency wrote on its website.

However, Brockton, Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, Stoughton, Easton and Raynham are not in a hurricane evacuation zone.

Coastal Plymouth is located in hurricane evacuation Zone A, meaning it's in an area of increased risk of flooding from storm surges.

How can Brockton residents stay up to date on hurricane information?

Residents will automatically receive emergency alerts and weather warnings through their radio, television and cellphones with the nationwide Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio also provides emergency weather alerts and warnings. Follow MEMA on Twitter and Facebook, and call 211 for non-emergency assistance in Massachusetts. For local information, follow the Brockton Emergency Management Agency on Twitter and Facebook.

How should I prepare for power outages?

MEMA recommends ensuring smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working and have fresh batteries ahead of an impending hurricane. Charge all electronics and get in touch with your medical provider and utility companies ahead of this weekend if your life-supporting medical equipment relies on electricity. Call National Grid of Massachusetts (800-465-1212) to report power outages during the storm.

Dinah Pulvar, USA Today reporter, and Amelia Stern, Enterprise reporter, contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Brockton and Taunton weather: Towns brushed by Hurricane Lee