Category 5 Hurricane Lee Makes Landfall in Eastern Canada as Post-Tropical Cyclone, Bringing Strong Winds and Flooding Threats
Once a Category 5 Hurricane, Lee made landfall in eastern Canada as a post-tropical cyclone, causing power outages, tree damage, and flooding in New England (Photo: EagleDayton)
Category 5 Hurricane Lee Transitions to Post-Tropical Cyclone, Impacts Eastern Canada
Once a menacing category 5 hurricane, Lee made landfall in eastern Canada on Saturday afternoon, albeit as a post-tropical cyclone. The storm brought with it near hurricane-strength winds, “life-threatening” surf, and the potential for flooding, according to USA Today.
Before making landfall, Lee had already left its mark by toppling trees, inundating boats, and cutting power to tens of thousands of residents from Maine to Nova Scotia on Saturday morning. It eventually made landfall on Long Island in Nova Scotia just below category 5 hurricane strength around 4 p.m., according to the National Hurricane Center.
As category 5 hurricane Lee continued its trajectory, it was expected to turn toward the northeast, moving across Atlantic Canada throughout the evening and into Sunday, albeit weakening in intensity. The storm triggered extensive power outages, with over 95,000 customers affected in Maine and nearly 150,000 in Nova Scotia by 5 p.m., according to power outage trackers.
Category 5 Hurricane’s Effects Reach Coastal New England and Canada
Tropical storm conditions are affecting parts of coastal New England, with heavy rainfall that can produce flooding in the eastern parts of Massachusetts and Maine, where a state of emergency has been declared, plus the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Category 5 hurricane Strong winds were expected to result in downed trees and potential power outages, cautioned the hurricane center.
Lee’s impact extended to Canada, with coastal roads in Nova Scotia experiencing flooding, and boats in St. Margarets Bay inundated. While Lee had transitioned from a Category 5 hurricane to a post-tropical cyclone, it still packed hurricane-force winds. Post-tropical cyclones, like Lee, can carry heavy winds and rains despite losing their tropical characteristics. Experts emphasized that the storm’s name change should not detract from the ongoing danger it poses.
