September 11, 2023 By Meteorologist Michael Page
Hurricane Lee is swirling in the Atlantic, just days after rapidly intensifying from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane.
The storm is already sparking questions about potential impacts to New England, with its track heading northward in the coming days.
Here’s what we know so far:
Timing: we’re still several days away from any potential impacts. The storm will likely be making its closest pass to New England this weekend.
What is most likely: Increased wave action is all but certain for the South shore, as the storm heads north.
It is most likely that Lee remains offshore, with an approaching cold front likely to steer it away from New England.
This is supported by climatology.
No storm in recorded history, located where Lee sits now, has made landfall in New England during the month of September.
To put numbers to it, the risk of landfall somewhere in New England is about 5-10%.
Still, even without a landfall, Lee may pass close enough for fringe impacts, like tropical rains.
A storm that passes offshore would leave us on the wet, not windy, side of the storm.
What to do now: It will be several days before we know for sure what impacts we can expect from Lee.
Until then, continue to monitor the forecast.
Hurricane season stretches through the end of November, so this is a good time of year to review your storm plans, ensuring you know what you’d need in the event of serious storm impacts. That includes things like bottled water, non-perishable foods, medications, and batteries.
The last hurricane to make landfall in New England was Hurricane Bob in 1991.