Islanders urged to not panic, but prepare as Lee veers toward Maritimes

As the P.E.I. Emergency Measures Organization takes steps to prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Lee, officials are encouraging Island citizens, groups and businesses to do the same. 

"The best way to mitigate panic is to prepare," Nick Policelli, P.E.I.'s director of emergency management, said during a briefing Thursday afternoon.

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The Emergency Measures Organization is in a Level One activation, meaning it has enhanced its monitoring, but officials stressed that this is not currently forecast to be a catastrophic storm on Prince Edward Island.

"It is very unlikely that this is anything close to a Fiona or a Dorian," said Policelli, though he added: "We will learn more as we get into Saturday and into the weekend, and this is why we have only activated to a Level One."

'Potential to be a significant storm'

The storm's forecast track has shifted to the east in the last 24 hours, and that could mean a bigger impact on Prince Edward Island.

The latest forecast has the storm making landfall anywhere from southwestern Nova Scotia to southern New Brunswick or eastern Maine.

"Lee will continue to gradually weaken as it approaches, but it is still expected to impact our region while transitioning into a post-tropical storm," said CBC Prince Edward Island meteorologist Jay Scotland.

"Even though its projected landfall is well south and west of the Island, it still has the potential to be a significant storm here."

The latest forecast calls for peak wind gusts between 60 and 90 km/h, with the strongest winds expected Saturday through Saturday night. The gusts from post-tropical storm Fiona were much stronger, said Scotland. 

Between 10 and 30 millimetres of rain could fall in eastern and central P.E.I., with 30 to 50 mm in the west. However, Scotland adds that "a slight shift in [the] track could see these numbers significantly change and locally heavier downpours are also possible.

"As I have been stressing all week, this is not shaping up to be another Fiona-like storm, but we should still prepare," he said.

'We've had hundreds of calls"

As the electrical utility serving P.E.I., Maritime Electric said it is concerned what the storm could mean for some of the weaker trees near its lines, and has been preparing all week. Accommodations have been booked for the weekend and additional crews are ready if needed. 

"We know the stress levels are still high from Fiona," spokesperson Kim Griffin told CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin. 

"We've had hundreds of calls this week from our customers and we certainly know that it's on everybody's mind."

Griffin said training for additional personnel, including off-Island contractors, will also begin on Friday ahead of the storm. 

P.E.I. emergency officials closely monitoring Hurricane Lee

1 year ago

Duration 3:30

Officials are in the early monitoring stages, says P.E.I. director of emergency management Nick Policelli, but residents should make a plan.

"Sometimes as crews were coming in in other storms to replenish our crews or refresh our crews, we would be training them on site," she said. 

"So to have them here and train them early just in case is a really key component."

If there are no major outages on P.E.I., Griffin said there is also a possibility that Island crews will be called to help harder-hit provinces. 

Shelter beds ready

Extra shelter beds have been added in Montague, Charlottetown and Summerside in case people without adequate housing need them as the storm approaches, officials say.

P.E.I. Public Safety Minister Bloyce Thompson said the hours of operation will depend on the track and severity of the storm, but bedding supplies as well as food and water will be provided. 

As for reception centres, Policelli said his staff is still confirming which facilities will be ready if needed. 

"We reach out one by one by the telephone, the old school way of doing things, making sure it's getting done," he said. "We are making sure that, one, are they going to be open for people, and also, what services they can offer Islanders?"

'This will not be anything like Fiona or Dorian'

1 year ago

Duration 2:09

P.E.I. Public Safety Minister Bloyce Thompson urges Islanders to be prepared as Hurricane Lee makes its way toward P.E.I., but cautions residents not to panic

Irving's tank farm is also getting ready just in case. A power outage at the tanks after post-tropical storm Fiona meant fuel could not be pumped into trucks for distribution across the province.

At Thursday's briefing, Thompson confirmed that a generator has arrived as a backup power source for this storm.

Just a few days out from Lee's expected landfall, the exact track of the storm remains uncertain. Environment and Climate Change Canada said it's continuing to monitor how things evolve, adding that the weather models are really starting to come together now. 

As of noon AT Thursday, the centre of the storm was about 1,650 km south-southwest of Halifax and moving north at 22 km/h. 

Islanders should start feeling the impact of the storm Friday night into Saturday morning, with wind and rain continuing into Sunday.