Montreal to remain on extreme western edge of hurricane Lee

Sunrise over hurricane Lee early Friday morning on the NOAA visible satellite image. The extreme southern tip of Nova Scotia is visible at the top of the image. Lee had 140km/h winds and was located 740 kilometres southeast of Cape Cod moving north at 26km/h. (NOAA) 

Widespread weather warnings are in place from coastal New England into Atlantic Canada early Friday morning, as hurricane Lee races northward. Montreal will remain on the far western edge of the storm, with little weather forecast.

Early Friday morning hurricane Lee was located 740 kilometres south, southeast of Cape Cod, moving north at 26km/h. The storm has winds of 140km/h, extending outward from the centre up to 165km, with tropical storm force winds (63km/h) up to 520km from the centre. Lee is churning up the ocean into 15 to 20 foot swells along with a storm surge of 1-3 feet spreading from New Jersey to Nova Scotia. The result is very dangerous sea and surf conditions all along the east coast from North Carolina to Nova Scotia.

The updated forecast track of Hurricane Lee across Atlantic Canada provided by the Canadian Hurricane Centre. (CHC image)

A hurricane watch and tropical storm warning is now in effect for portions of the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick coast as well as inland locations, with Lee forecast to make landfall as a category one hurricane or strong tropical storm sometime Saturday afternoon. Winds in excess of 100km/h along with 50 to 100mm (2-4 inches) of rain are expected in the warning area and northeast across interior Nova Scotia and into Prince Edward Island as well as the Gaspe region of Quebec. The heavy rain and gusty winds will also impact the Lower North Shore of Quebec.

Heavy rain has been falling already this week in many locations in Nova Scotia, and there is a serious risk for flash flooding over the next 48 hours for many parts of that province. Hugh waves and rough surf will impact the immediate coastal counties as well as the maritime and coastal offshore waters. Coastal flooding and damage to infrastructure is possible, along with power outages and tree damage.

Montreal and southern Quebec will remain on the extreme western edge of the storm, with gusty northeast winds (20-40km/h) expected along with cloud cover from Lee, but no precipitation.

Lee will continue to accelerate to the northeast on Saturday into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and eventually southwest Newfoundland, while becoming extra-tropical in nature. Heavy rain and gusty winds will continue along the path of the weakening storm.