via the National Weather Service
HYANNIS Sept. 15, 2023 1:30 pm – The Cape Cod Gateway Airport reported on social media that Cape Air will not be operating any flights at the airport on Saturday due to the storm.
“Friday afternoon and Saturday morning may be impacted but have not been officially decided yet. If cancellations on any other day arise, we will update per normal procedure,” officials said in the Facebook post.
They thanked customers for their patience.
The following are previous updates to this ongoing story.
Sept. 15, 2023 1:30 pm – The Town of Dennis will close its beaches and lock the gates starting tonight at 6 pm in anticipation of the storm. The following Town of Dennis facilities will also be closed on Saturday:
o Dennis Transfer Station
o Both the Dennis Pines and Dennis Highlands Golf Courses
o Dennis Council on Aging/Senior Center
o Dennis Town Library
Officials said anyone in need for sheltering should contact the Dennis Police Department at 508-394-1313.
The following are previous updates to this ongoing story.
Sept. 15, 2023 10:30 am– The National Weather Service is advising residents to expect tropical storm force winds over the weekend due to the impacts of Hurricane Lee’s center passing by the Cape and Islands region out in the Atlantic.
Storm conditions have canceled several events, including the Eastham and Orleans Household Hazardous Waste Collection event planned originally for Saturday.
The following is the full statement from Barnstable County:
Due to the severe weather forecasted over the weekend, the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection scheduled for Eastham and Orleans residents on 9/16/23 has been canceled in accordance with MEMA weather advisories in advance of Hurricane Lee.
The HHW event has been rescheduled for November 18, 2023, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Orleans DPW, located at 40 Giddiah Hill Road in Orleans.
Please consider taking some time to inspect the areas under your kitchen and bathroom sinks, as well as in your garage, shed, barn, or other outbuildings for unwanted household chemicals. Examples of such chemicals include old gasoline, oil-based paints, pool chemicals, and pesticides. Store these products safely until your town’s scheduled HHW collection event. By doing so, you are contributing to emergency preparedness and community chemical resiliency, which helps protect your drinking water, first responders, and our environment during fires, floods, or other emergencies.
For more information, visit www.LoveYourLocalWater.org and/or https://www.facebook.com/loveyourlocalwater
This story will be updated thoughout the storm. The following are previous updates to this story.
Sept. 14, 2023 5:00 pm – Organizers said the inaugural Second Summer Cycle charity bike ride scheduled for this Sunday is canceled due to the impending storm.
Four hundred cyclists were registered for the event, having raised thousands of dollars for 18 non-profit organizations across Cape Cod, including the Cape Symphony and Cape and Islands United Way.
“We are extremely disappointed to have to make this difficult call,” said Pat Lentell, Second Summer Cycle Ride Director.
“From the very beginning, our goal was to create the safest, most scenic ride ever on Cape Cod, and conditions look precarious at best.”
According to event organizers, more than $205,000 has been raised by riders. All funds will go directly to the non-profits they chose.
Updates to this story are ongoing. The following is the previous version of this story:
Sept. 14, 2023 2:30 pm –Hurricane Lee is anticipated to impact the region late Friday into Saturday and although the storm’s center is expected to pass by east of the Cape on its way to Canada, a tropical storm warning and a surge watch are in effect due to potential high winds and rain.
Eversource officials said they are at the ready to deal with any possible outages.
The Steamship Authority has also waived cancellation and change fees due to potential service interruptions. AAA has also issued advise on how to stay safe during flood conditions.
As of 2:30 pm, the Family Pantry of Cape Cod and Second Glance Thrift Store will be closed due to the storm on Saturday, re-opening Tuesday at 10AM.
As of 3 pm, Harwich town officials said that municipal buildings would be closed Saturday.
This story will be updated throughout the storm.
The following is the full statement from Eversource.
As Hurricane Lee makes its way north with an uncertain track, Eversource continues to closely monitor several forecasts and prepare accordingly. The energy company is ready to respond to any power outages caused by the storm’s high winds that are expected to impact Massachusetts late Friday through Saturday. Eversource is positioning line and tree crews across the commonwealth as well as bringing in additional lineworkers to assist with the restoration and get power back on for customers as quickly and safely as possible.
“We’ve been watching Hurricane Lee for more than a week and there is still some uncertainty with the forecast and its track. The high winds Lee could bring combined with the saturated ground from all the recent rain that has loosened tree roots have the potential to bring down trees and limbs onto electric lines and equipment causing outages,” said Eversource President of Regional Electric Operations Craig Hallstrom. “We’ve gone through our storm checklists, and we’re fully stocked with utility poles, wire and other necessary materials. Crews will be staged around the state with a heavy emphasis in the areas expecting the highest winds – so they’re ready to restore power as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
Customers are encouraged to also prepare for the storm by assembling or restocking a storm kit which should include essentials like flashlights, batteries, water, non-perishable foods, pet food and any needed medications. In addition, make sure cell phones and devices are fully charged, create an emergency plan with family members and prepare to check on elderly neighbors and friends.
Eversource reminds customers to always stay clear of downed wires and to report them immediately to 9-1-1. Be sure to report any outage online at Eversource.com, or by calling 800-592-2000 in Eastern Massachusetts. Customers can also download Eversource’s mobile app or sign up for the company’s two-way texting to report and check outages in the event they do occur.
Additional preparedness tips can be found at Eversource.com.
About Grady Culhane
