Lee’s winds not expected to be hurricane strength when it hits Maritimes

The Canadian Hurricane Centre in Halifax says Hurricane Lee’s strength will be sapped by cooler sea-surface temperatures as it continues to move north.  The storm is expected to lash parts of the Maritimes with heavy rain this weekend, but its wind speeds are not expected to reach hurricane-strength, which is 119 kilometres per hour.  Still, the centre says western Nova Scotia will endure the worst that Lee has to offer, which includes heavy rain that could start as early as Thursday.  But meteorologist Ian Hubbard says the storm will not be as powerful as post-tropical storm Fiona, which caused widespread damage in Nova Scotia, P-E-I and southwestern Newfoundland almost a year ago.