Hurricane Lee updates: Storm makes landfall in Nova Scotia as post-tropical cyclone

Still producing hurricane-force winds, Lee has been downgraded to a post-tropical storm as it approaches Nova Scotia on Saturday morning.

The remnants of Hurricane Lee -- now basically an extreme Nor’easter -- are bearing down on coastal New England and Canada. But even though Lee is now post-tropical, the storm remains strong as it produces huge waves, life-threatening rip currents, strong winds and widespread rain to New England, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds remain near 80 mph with higher gusts at Lee’s center.

Lee is expected to be at or just below hurricane strength when it reaches Nova Scotia later today.

On the forecast track, the center of Lee will continue to approach the coast of Nova Scotia this morning. Lee is then expected to turn toward the north-northeast and northeast and move across Atlantic Canada tonight and Sunday.

By 10 p.m. tonight, rain will be northeast of America and completely in Atlantic Canada.

Winds will be simply “windy” down to “breezy” by Sunday morning with gusts of only 15-30 mph at 7 a.m. Sunday in New England.

For now, Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 390 miles from Lee’s center.

Swells generated by Lee are affecting the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the east coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Rip currents alerts are set to a high risk from New England all the way to Florida as the entire Atlantic coast of America will be seeing life-threatening rip currents today. Through tonight, Lee is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 1 to 4 inches over far eastern Massachusetts, eastern Maine, western Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.

Lee is picking up speed as it moves north and is now about 290 miles southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

The rain will start to hit southeastern New England Friday evening with winds increasing overnight. The storm will last in the region through Saturday afternoon.

Lee, currently a Category 1 hurricane, is forecast to weaken to a tropical storm by Saturday afternoon.

The rough surf, big waves and dangerous rip currents will persist across much of the East Coast through Saturday.

Lee will likely come ashore in Canada -- in western Nova Scotia or western New Brunswick -- by Saturday afternoon or early evening.

Hurricane Lee will pick up speed over the next 24 hours as it races up the East Coast.

Tropical storm warnings are in effect along the coast from Massachusetts to Maine. Coastal flood advisories and high surf advisories are also in effect.

The rain will begin in southeastern New England Friday night, with winds strengthening overnight. Wind gusts up to 60 mph are possible in Cape Cod and Nantucket.

Lee, now a Category 1 hurricane, is forecast to weaken to a tropical storm on Saturday.

Most of the rain and wind will hit southeastern New England on Saturday and then shift toward Maine later in the day.

The rough surf will likely persist along New England's coast through Saturday night, but major flooding is not expected.

Lee is forecast to reach the shore in Canada, in western Nova Scotia or western New Brunswick, by Saturday afternoon or early evening.

By Sunday morning, the impacts from Lee will be ending in Maine and Nova Scotia.

Massachusetts has joined Maine in declaring a state of emergency as Hurricane Lee approaches.

A tropical storm warning has been issued in the state. The rain will begin Friday night in Massachusetts, starting on Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard after 9 p.m. and reaching Boston after midnight.

"Drivers should plan ahead if traveling during severe weather," Gov. Maura Healey tweeted. "Heavy equipment, pumps and generators are fueled up and ready to be deployed if needed and emergency crews are on standby."