After weakening from a Category 5 to a Category 3 storm on Saturday, Hurricane Lee is still brewing offshore in the Atlantic Ocean and is predicted to take a decisive turn north.
National Weather Service meteorologists say it is too soon to know if or how the storm will impact Martha’s Vineyard.
“Right now, the only thing we are reasonably sure of is that you will be seeing ocean impacts and rip currents,” said Alan Dunham, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “It’s way too early to tell.”
“I would recommend that Island residents keep an eye out and watch as the forecast develops,” said Dunham. Early Saturday, at this point, is when the storm would impact the Island.
While storm-surges are possible for coastal communities, the storm is expected to weaken in the coming days.
According to the projected storm path from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Nantucket is the only projected landfall in Hurricane Lee’s path at this time. The graphic notes that the cone shows the probable path of the storm’s center, but does not show the full size of the storm or the possible areas affected.
Initially identified as a Category 5 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale with winds exceeding speeds of 155mph, Hurricane Lee was downgraded to a Category 2 and then bumped up again to a Category 3 storm.
Though the storm strength may oscillate over the next several days, the massive storm is moving slowly, and stands to impact the entire eastern seaboard. As of now, NHC predicts that Lee will remain a hurricane for the remainder of its offshore trajectory.
