A state of emergency was declared in Maine Thursday ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Lee this weekend, which prompted the National Weather Service to declare its first hurricane watch in 15 years.
That watch, which was in place for Down East Maine, was discontinued on Friday morning, though a tropical storm warning remained in effect for the area, as well as the coastline down to Westport, Massachusetts.
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In her emergency declaration, Gov. Janet Mills urged people to take the storm seriously and to make preparations. Mills, a Democrat, also asked President Joe Biden to issue a preemptive presidential disaster declaration to give the state access to federal resources, which he approved late Thursday.
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"We continue to closely track the storm and expect heavy rains and high winds that will likely cause storm surge, flooding, infrastructure damage, and power outages," Mills said. "We continue to strongly urge Maine people – particularly those Downeast – to exercise caution and to take steps to ensure they have what they need to stay safe as the storm draws closer."
The Coast Guard and emergency management agencies warned New England residents to be prepared, and utility companies brought in reinforcements to deal with any power outages. At Boothbay Harbor Marina in Maine, the community came together to remove boats from the water to keep them out of harm's way.
“It’s a batten-down-the-hatches kind of day,” owner Kim Gillies said Thursday.
Similar scenes played out elsewhere, including at Kennebunkport Marina, where crews planned to take 100 boats out of the water, said Cathy Norton, marina manager.
Commercial lobster fisherman Steve Train said fishermen have been sinking gear in deeper water to protect against storm damage. Fishing boats were also headed to the safety of harbors.
Friday morning, Lee was spinning about 490 miles southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and moving away from Bermuda, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was traveling north on a path that could lead to landfall in Nova Scotia, possibly as a tropical storm, forecasters said.
The system could bring a mix of threats. The storm surge and waves could lash the coast, damaging structures and causing erosion; powerful wind gusts could knock down trees weakened by a wet summer; and rain could cause flash flooding in a region where the soil is already saturated, said Louise Fode, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Maine.
The state's eastern coast — known as the Down East region — and the coast of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were expected to bear the brunt of the storm, though the track could shift before the system arrives, Fode said.
One thing working in the region's favor: The storm surge will not be accompanied by an astronomical high tide, helping to lower the risk, she said.
Central Maine Power said its staff is busy gearing up for the storm.
“Earlier this week, we began preparing for Hurricane Lee by inspecting the power grid, assessing staging areas, and securing additional resources, equipment, and crews," said Jon Breed, spokesperson for Central Maine Power. “The company is bringing in extra power restoration crews to provide additional coverage, and we will stage teams as the weather forecast dictates regionally starting Friday.”
Penobscot County Emergency Management Director Bradley Nuding told News Center Maine that residents should prepare by tending to duties around the house.
"If they haven’t already, you know start cleaning out their gutters, checking out their sump pumps, bringing in outside furniture, making sure they’ve got plenty of gas in both their vehicles."
With no electricity, families will need to have easy-to-make food on hand, Nuding said.
He advised that people head to the store and stock up on the extra items that they need to hold them over until power is restored in case of widespread power outages. Nuding said that for some families, buying extra supplies will be a hit on their pockets.
"I know some just-in-time expenses can be difficult for some families — but we should be trying to at least keep some basics in our households," Nuding said.
According to Nuding, the general recommendation is to have at least one gallon of water for each person and pet in the home, have the medications and prescription drugs needed, get additional pet supplies, and buy a decent amount of easy-to-make food items.
He said what you shouldn’t do is panic.
"I would not advise people to go above and beyond too much. Keeping it within their budgets obviously," Nuding said. "But just basic food that you would need."
In Maine, the last time a hurricane watch was declared was in 2008, for Hurricane Kyle, but residents are accustomed to rough weather. Lee's projected wind, rain and surf are akin to a powerful Nor'easter, and Mainers are familiar with those.
