Hurricane Lee is headed to Maine this weekend, and it looks increasingly likely that it will have a big impact.
Models have converged on a track closer to the Maine coast, and the hurricane center forecast now reflects that as well.
Wind, power outages, coastal flooding and heavy rain from Hurricane Lee continue to look more likely across the state.
Track
Model agreement was much higher Wednesday morning, and with only three full days to go until Hurricane Lee nears Maine, big shifts in the models are becoming less and less likely.
Hurricane Lee is now very likely to move close to Maine, and the hurricane center will potentially make landfall in far Down East Maine. Even though it will no longer be a hurricane or tropical storm, this would be a rare occurrence.
Timing
High clouds will overspread the area Friday, with the impacts from Lee mainly concentrated on Saturday.
Conditions will quickly go downhill Saturday morning, with the worst of impacts from Hurricane Lee happening Saturday afternoon, evening and night.
Big improvements then take hold for Sunday, which will likely be sunny, dry and warm.
Coastal
Hurricane Lee will essentially be a large, powerful nor’easter by the time it reaches Maine.
Coastal flooding, accentuated by the new moon, will be a major threat.
Huge waves and erosion also will happen up and down the Maine coast. Start preparing your boat and coastal property as soon as possible.
Wind
While exact wind gust levels are still unclear, things are starting to come into focus. Expect a much more definite forecast on winds during the day on Thursday. With the center of Hurricane Lee likely passing over or near Down East Maine, the midcoast and Down East Maine will likely see the strongest winds, and thus have the highest potential for power outages.
Farther down the coast, there also will be strong winds, but it remains to be seen whether they will be enough for widespread outages. Still, some impact from the winds is expected.
The lowest confidence is for inland areas like the lakes region and the mountains. Winds will be weakest there, and whether they will be strong enough for downed branches or trees and power issues remains to be seen. A good idea along the coast to be prepared to lose power at some point this weekend.
Rain
Similar to winds, rainfall totals remain up in the air. However, with a closer to Maine track, rain is expected with the storm Saturday.
A few inches of rain will be possible, likely with the highest amounts towards eastern Maine.
The fast motion of Hurricane Lee may help to avoid major flooding from rain, but flooding will certainly be possible.
To sum things up, Lee will likely be an impactful storm for Maine, especially along the coast. There is still plenty of time to prepare, and the forecast may shift over the next couple days.
It would not be a bad idea to start preparing for power outages.