Owais Crawford
Hurricane Lee was a Category 5 hurricane that battered New England and Canada with heavy rain, strong winds, flooding, and pounding surf. The storm reached land on Friday morning, causing travel disruptions across the region. Logan Airport in Boston was affected, with many flights canceled or delayed due to the outer bands of the hurricane. Cape Air canceled all its flights at Logan, and other airlines also reported a significant number of cancellations and delays. While the worst of the hurricane was expected to miss Boston, the city still experienced nor'easter conditions, and coastal communities braced for big waves. The storm's impact extended beyond the immediate area, affecting flights and ferry services. The Federal Aviation Administration advised travelers to check their flight status and monitor updates as severe weather could affect flights beyond New England.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Lee's path | Offshore, 200 miles east of Boston, 150-175 miles east of Cape Cod |
| Date | Friday, 15 September 2023 - Saturday, 16 September 2023 |
| Time | Peak winds between 11 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday |
| Wind speed | Gusts of 40-50 mph, with hurricane-force winds of 80 mph |
| Impact on Logan Airport | Delays and cancellations of flights |
| Impact on Cape Cod Gateway Airport | Cape Air cancelled all flights in and out of Hyannis on Saturday |
| Impact on Nantucket Memorial Airport | Open for medical flights and necessary flights, with limited hangar space |
| Impact on Boston | Windy conditions, heavy rain, strong winds, flooding in coastal and low-lying areas |
| Impact on New England | Heavy rain, strong winds, flooding, power outages, downed trees |
| Impact on Canada | Power outages, high winds, flooding |
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What You'll Learn
Hurricane Lee's path and its impact on Logan Airport
Hurricane Lee, the 13th named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane. It weakened to a Category 3 hurricane, bringing sustained winds ranging from 111 to 129 mph as it traversed multiple islands in the northeastern Caribbean. The storm spent several hours at Category 5 status, doubling its wind speed within 24 hours.
The hurricane's path took it north towards Bermuda, Canada, and New England, with the potential to affect parts of the Caribbean as it intensified. Lee's wind field was quite large, and it was expected to bring windy conditions to Boston and Logan Airport, with peak winds between 11 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday. Gusts were expected to reach around 40 mph during this time.
While the worst of Hurricane Lee was expected to miss Boston, nor'easter conditions with heavy rain, strong winds, and coastal flooding were still anticipated. The storm's track could still change, and its impact on Logan Airport was uncertain at first. However, as it approached, its effects became clearer.
Hurricane Lee did not make landfall in Boston, but its outer bands caused delays and cancellations at Logan International Airport. Cape Air canceled all its flights at Logan, and other airlines reported a varied number of cancellations and delays, particularly during late morning and early afternoon. More than 230 flights into and out of Logan Airport were canceled, and over 100 were delayed on Saturday.
By Saturday morning, Lee had transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone, still packing hurricane-force winds of 80 mph. The storm continued to affect the region with strong winds and pounding surf, causing havoc for travelers.
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The strength of the hurricane and its wind speeds
Hurricane Lee was an extremely dangerous storm that powered up to Category 5 strength, with wind speeds reaching between 160 and 165 mph. The hurricane underwent rapid intensification as it moved across the Atlantic, thanks to unusually warm ocean water and a lack of wind shear.
Despite its strength, the hurricane's wind field was not particularly large. Meteorologists predicted that the hurricane would not make landfall, but it would generate dangerous waves of up to 15 feet (5 meters) across the northern coast of Puerto Rico and other nearby islands.
As Hurricane Lee approached New England, it began to impact travel in and out of the area. While it did not make a direct hit on Massachusetts, there were coastal impacts, including at Logan Airport in Boston. The outer bands of the hurricane brought windy conditions to the airport, with gusts topping out around 40 mph.
By Saturday morning, Hurricane Lee had transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone, still with 80 mph winds. This caused further delays and cancellations at Logan Airport, with Cape Air cancelling all of its flights.
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The potential for flooding and heavy rain
Hurricane Lee had weakened to a Category 3 hurricane by the time it reached the Caribbean, bringing sustained winds of 111 to 129 mph. It continued to weaken as it moved northward, and by the time it reached Boston, it had been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone. However, it still packed hurricane-force winds of 80 mph and affected the region with strong winds, heavy rain, and pounding surf.
The impact of the storm on Logan Airport was felt primarily through flight delays and cancellations. While there were no widespread cancellations initially, Cape Air canceled all its flights at Logan on Saturday, and other airlines reported a varied number of cancellations and delays, especially during late morning and early afternoon. More than 230 flights into and out of Logan Airport were canceled, and over 100 were delayed on Saturday.
The storm's path and intensity highlighted the growing threat of powerful storms in the region due to climate change. While Hurricane Lee did not make a direct hit on Boston, its effects underscored the need for preparedness and the potential for flooding and heavy rain to cause significant disruptions.
The hurricane's remnants continued to affect the region, with more than 100,000 homes and businesses in Maine and eastern Canada experiencing power outages. The storm also caused downed trees and dangerous surf conditions along the coast. Forecasters predicted that coastal flooding would subside by Sunday, and the storm would likely dissipate by Tuesday.
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The effect on flights and travel plans
Hurricane Lee has caused travel disruption in Boston and the surrounding area. The storm reached land on Friday morning, following a 10-day journey across the Atlantic. Although it was predicted that the hurricane would not make landfall in Massachusetts, it was expected to cause strong winds and heavy rain.
On Friday, there were limited delays and cancellations at Logan Airport, with Cape Air cancelling its flights to and from Boston Logan International Airport. On Saturday, the situation worsened, with more than 230 flights cancelled and over 100 delayed. Passengers were advised to check their flight status before travelling to the airport, as some airlines reported a varied number of cancellations and delays.
The impact of the hurricane extended beyond flights, with ferry services also affected. All trips on the Lynn route were cancelled on Friday and Saturday, while the East Boston, Charlestown and Hingham/Hull routes ended trips on Friday evening.
The storm caused power outages, affecting more than 100,000 homes and businesses in Maine and eastern Canada. Coastal communities braced for big waves and potential flooding, with the National Weather Service warning that wind gusts of up to 40-50 mph were possible, which could bring down trees and damage power lines.
By Sunday, the hurricane had weakened to a post-tropical cyclone, but it continued to cause large swells and life-threatening surf conditions along the East Coast of the United States. However, airport schedules in New England and Canada began to normalize, and all tropical storm watches and warnings for these areas were cancelled.
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The hurricane's transition to a post-tropical cyclone
A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone that occurs in the Atlantic Ocean or northeastern Pacific Ocean. Tropical cyclones are rapidly rotating storm systems with low-pressure areas, closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and spiral arrangements of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. They form near the equator over warm ocean waters, with ocean temperatures of at least 80 degrees F (26.6 degrees C) for at least the top 50 meters (about 165 feet) below the surface. Wind is the second ingredient for a tropical cyclone, with wind direction being counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere due to the Coriolis effect.
As tropical cyclones move out of the tropics and to higher latitudes, they may encounter large changes in temperature, increasing wind shear, and decreasing sea surface temperatures, causing them to undergo a process known as extratropical transition or post-tropical transition. During this transition, the typical characteristics of a tropical cyclone are replaced with those of extratropical cyclones. The National Hurricane Center will designate a tropical cyclone as "post-tropical" when it has transitioned to a non-tropical storm. It is important to note that this designation does not indicate a downgrade in the storm's intensity or impact. In fact, winds in a storm that transitions to non-tropical can increase in strength, and the storm can continue to pose significant threats to life and property.
The re-intensification of a post-tropical cyclone can cause dangerous conditions, especially in North Atlantic shipping routes, with high seas and winds comparable to those of hurricanes. Europe, for example, rarely experiences tropical cyclones, but it regularly encounters storms that have transitioned into extratropical cyclones. Meteorological services around the world are generally responsible for issuing warnings for their own countries. However, the United States National Hurricane Center and the Fiji Meteorological Service issue alerts, watches, and warnings for various island nations in their areas of responsibility.
The development of a tropical cyclone can be divided into four stages: tropical disturbance, tropical depression, tropical storm, and full-fledged tropical cyclone. When wind speeds reach 39 mph, a tropical depression becomes a tropical storm, and this is when the storm is named. When wind speeds reach 74 mph, the storm is officially a hurricane. Hurricanes are the most violent storms on Earth, with hurricane-force winds extending about 300 miles (483 km) wide, although size is not necessarily an indication of hurricane intensity.
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Frequently asked questions
Hurricane Lee did affect flights to and from Logan Airport, causing cancellations and delays. However, the worst of the storm missed Boston, and it did not make landfall in Massachusetts.
It is important to keep an eye on your flight status and check for any delays or cancellations. It is also a good idea to check for alternative flights in case your original flight is cancelled.
Wind speeds reached 40-50 mph, with gusts of up to 80 mph.
Hurricane Lee caused flight cancellations and delays on the East Coast of the US, particularly in Boston and other parts of New England. It also led to power outages and flooding in coastal areas.
