Maine Braces for Lee's Impact as State Placed on First Hurricane Watch in 15 Years

Maine is under its first hurricane watch in 15 years as Hurricane Lee, a Category 1 storm, swirls off the coast. This comes after days of wild weather in across New England, including torrential rain, flooding, sinkholes, and even a suspected tornado.

Maine is facing a rare and potentially dangerous event as Hurricane Lee approaches its shores, a development which saw the the Pine Tree State placed under a hurricane watch for the first time in over a decade.

The situation is expected to worsen as Lee approaches the coastline, with a dangerous storm surge projected for Massachusetts' Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket Island. The brunt of the storm is anticipated to hit early Saturday, threatening to exacerbate the already waterlogged conditions in the region.

Emergency management agencies and the Coast Guard have issued warnings to New England residents to prepare for the hurricane's impact. Utility companies are mobilizing reinforcements to address potential power outages. Communities, such as Boothbay Harbor Marina in Maine, are working together to fortify boats.

Lee, currently located 245 miles southwest of Bermuda, has sustained winds of 90 miles per hour as it moves northward. It could make landfall in Nova Scotia, Canada, possibly as a tropical storm, according to forecasters.

The hurricane poses a multifaceted threat, including massive ocean waves, powerful wind gusts that could knock down weakened trees, raising the risk of flash flooding in an already saturated region.

In addition to Lee, the region experienced unrelated severe weather, with a likely tornado causing damage to trees and power lines in Rhode Island and Connecticut.

As Maine and neighboring regions brace for Lee's impact, the government is urging residents to take the storm seriously, prepare, and consider assembling a 72-hour safety kit. Maine Governor Janet Mills has also requested a preemptive presidential disaster declaration to access federal resources.