It's no Fiona, but 'Lee is no joke,' says CBC meteorologist

Hurricane Lee, whichwill likely be downgraded to a tropical low as it hits the Maritimes this weekend, is not expected to bring anything like the devastation Fiona did last yearbut will still be a significant storm, says CBC meteorologist Tina Simpkin.

"This is not going to be Fiona but Lee is no joke. It is going to bring a lot of rain and some gusty wind conditions," Simpkin said early Wednesday.

"I think I would hunker down this weekend."

At around 4 p.m. AT on Wednesday, Environment Canada predicted the centre of Lee could make landfall anywhere from downeast Maine to western Nova Scotia as a strong tropical storm or post-tropical low.

"Our latest assessment is that western Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick stand to see the most wind while western New Brunswick northward into parts of the Bas-St-Laurent and Gaspesie regions of Quebec are at risk of the heaviest rainfall," the national weather service posted.

"High waves and elevated water levels will be more widespread due to the large size of the storm. The most impacted areas likely covering much of the Atlantic coast of mainland Nova Scotia and the Fundy coast of New Brunswick."

Lee is now a Category 2 hurricane south of Bermuda and north of Puerto Rico. It will weaken significantly by the time it reaches P.E.I. It will still, however, make a mess of this weekend's weather.

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Islanders can expect the rain to start Saturday morning. By that afternoon, heavy bands of rain are forecast to start rolling through. That will persist about 12 hours, accompanied for six to eight hours bywind gusts of 70 to 90 kilometres per hour.

Fiona brought wind gusts of more than 130 km/h.

Rain and wind from Lee will persist into Sunday.

There is still uncertainty about exactly how Lee will affect the Island, Simpkin said.

Even if it meanders 50 kilometres west or east, that makes a huge difference in wind direction and what we can expect. Tina Simpkin

"The track of Lee could change between now and Friday," she said."Even if it meanders 50 kilometres west or east, that makes a huge difference in wind direction and what we can expect."

Environment Canada says Maritimers can also expect high surf and rip currents with the storm, starting as early as Friday.