Western Reader
Hurricane Lee, a force of nature that already wreaked havoc in the Caribbean, is now barreling toward the East Coast. The storm, which left a trail of destruction in the Dominican Republic and Bermuda, is now setting its sights on New England.
The National Hurricane Center, in an announcement earlier today, warned that tropical storm conditions are expected to commence in the US by this afternoon. The storm is predicted to make landfall in Canada, but not before triggering enormous waves along much of coastal New England.
Residents of the Hamptons, particularly those with waterfront properties, are in a race against time to secure their homes before the storm hits.
Daily Mail captured many homeowners frantically padding their homes with sand as the storm loomed closer. One property on stilts on Dune Road, a notoriously expensive street, seemed to be in a particularly precarious position.
From last night’s flight into #Hurricane #Lee pic.twitter.com/5swF1Lfr0u
— Hurricane Hunters (@53rdWRS) September 15, 2023
In Maine, the Governor has issued a hurricane warning for the first time in 15 years. The National Guard in Long Island is on standby, ready to sandbag homes and respond to emergencies.
In New Jersey, beach warnings have been put in place, and anyone caught swimming could face fines of up to $200.
After a week of rain, flooding, sinkholes, and tornadoes, New England is bracing itself for Hurricane Lee. As the Category 1 system impacted Bermuda, Maine found itself under its first hurricane watch in 15 years.
A state of emergency was declared on Thursday by Governor Janet Mills. The region, already waterlogged, is preparing for 20-foot waves offshore and wind gusts up to 80 mph, along with more rain.
Coastal houses on Long Island are among those most at risk. The hurricane watch applies to eastern Maine, while the rest of the state and an area extending south through Massachusetts is under a tropical storm warning.
Powerful winds and coastal flooding are expected to arrive Friday afternoon in southern New England and spread north.
11 am AST: Hurricane #Lee is a large hurricane and approaching New England and Atlantic Canada. Here are the Key Messages. Visit https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ
for details. pic.twitter.com/2v6gbx0RRM— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 15, 2023
Although Lee did not contribute to the flooding that hit New England earlier in the week, it threatens to exacerbate conditions in a region that is already waterlogged.
The Coast Guard and emergency management agencies warned New England residents to be prepared; utility companies brought in reinforcements to deal with any power outages.
At Boothbay Harbor Marina in Maine, the community has come together to remove boats from the water to keep them out of harm’s way.
As Hurricane Lee races towards New England, bringing 20ft waves, 85mph winds, and triggering warnings across Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Canada, fears of deadly storm surges and tornadoes are on the rise.
In these trying times, it is crucial for communities to band together and brace for the impact of Hurricane Lee.
This article appeared in Our Patriot and has been published here with permission.
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