Parts of coastal New England and Atlantic Canada are under tropical storm warnings as Hurricane Lee nears

Hurricane Lee will take a swipe at parts of coastal New England and Atlantic Canada starting Friday with heavy rain and strong winds that could lead to localized flooding and knock out power across communities.

Lee will continue to track north and weaken through Friday, and its center will be hundreds of miles off the US East Coast. But its massive size – with strong winds extending far from the center of the storm – means gusty winds, locally heavy rain and high surf will push into New England.

Tropical storm conditions – winds of at least 39 mph – are expected to start in southern New England on Friday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm’s strongest winds are expected to be largely confined to coastal areas, but gusty winds in inland areas cannot be ruled out, and power outages are possible with trees at risk of coming down in already saturated soil.