The shock waves of last week’s storm are still rippling through Island fields as farmers anxiously watch their crops to see the extent of the damage.
Experts predict that with ocean temperatures at record highs and the global climate shifting into a hazardous La Niña pattern this year, the result could be one of the worst hurricane seasons on record.
The Island saw some rain and winds, but only experienced a handful of power outages and canceled ferries Friday night into Saturday.
The hurricane is projected to pass to the east of the Vineyard and Nantucket Saturday, bringing strong winds and high surf.
With Hurricane Lee expected to pass offshore of Martha’s Vineyard Saturday, the National Weather Service has issued a tropical storm warning for Dukes County. The storm could hit the Island with tropical storm-force winds within the next 36 hours.
The storm, a category 3 hurricane as of Wednesday afternoon, is poised to lose some of its strength as it moves over colder Atlantic waters, but Islanders are readying themselves for strong winds this weekend.
For the seventh straight year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting an active hurricane season, amid warming ocean temperatures and shifting weather patterns across the globe.
