Forecasters continue to monitor hurricane Lee and how the storm could impact the Maritimes this weekend.
Environment Canada has now issued a Tropical Cyclone Information Statement.
Lee was a category-3 storm as of Tuesday afternoon with maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometres per hour.
The Canadian Hurricane Centre said it expects the storm will move into Canadian waters as a category-1 hurricane.
“It is looking likely that the forward motion of the storm could slow and while doing so, winds would start to decrease, the intensity would drop below hurricane strength and it would become post-tropical,” the agency said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
Current models show the track of the storm — known as the “cone of uncertainty” — could range anywhere from Downeast Maine to Cape Breton.
But forecasters said it is important not to focus so much on where the storm’s centre could be as the impacts will be felt well beyond that.
Because the storm will be rather broad by the time it arrives, the CHC said its impacts “would affect most of the Maritime provinces and [neighbouring] waters to varying extent.”
Atlantic Canadians are expected to learn more about the exact impacts as the storm gets closer to the region.
According to CHC, computer models have been trending toward a somewhat faster approach speed and arrival time in the region.
“If the trend continues, there would be a risk of higher winds reaching land,” said the weather agency.
“As of now, western Nova Scotia has the higher possibility of impacts which is worth noting since that region wasn’t impacted by recent storms like Dorian and Fiona.”
Building surf conditions and rip currents are expected along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia over the coming days, particularly on Friday.
The hurricane centre is expected to issue its next update at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
We have updated our daily information statement on Lee for today and will begin issuing our @ECCC_CHC track forecasts and regular information statements, which will be updated every 6 hours, starting at 9 am ADT Wednesday . https://t.co/Wh840fyVtD pic.twitter.com/7sz751Qx82
— ECCC Canadian Hurricane Centre (@ECCC_CHC) September 12, 2023
