No matter where Lee hits, New Brunswickers need to be ready and indoors, EMO says

Saturday could be too late to clean up yards, buy gas or get an emergency kit, New Brunswick's Emergency Measures Organization warned Friday as Hurricane Lee moved closer to the Maritimes.

EMO director Kyle Leavitt said people should take action before Lee's expected landfall in New Brunswick on Saturday.

He also warned of hazardous driving conditions and urged people to stay inside and follow the storm online.

"Regardless of where it lands, New Brunswickers need to be prepared," he said.

People in the province have been taking that advice with many making their ways to stores to pick through what's left.

In Saint John, by late Friday afternoon, Costco and Canadian Tire on Westmorland Road were sold out or low on power generators and flashlights. 

Bottled water was also hard to come by at Walmart in Saint John and Sobeys on Regent Street in Fredericton, with nearly cleared shelves.

The Maritimes will see wind and rain beginning Friday night, but Lee is still expected to make landfall in the region on Saturday.

New Brunswick officials provided the storm update on Friday afternoon. Leavitt was joined by Pete Lussier from EMO, Premier Blaine Higgs, Public Safety Minister Kris Austin, and N.B. Power vice-president Nicole Poirier. Environment Canada meteorologist Jill Maepea was also at the briefing.

CBC News meteorologist Ryan Snoddon said wind gusts of 60 to 90 kilometres per hour are expected across the Maritimes, with gusts of 90 to 120 kilometres per hour in southwestern regions, especially exposed coastal areas.

Poirier said N.B. Power is expecting outages and has a team of 700 prepared to jump into action. She said about 300 crews are stationed in "strategic locations," many of them in areas where the most damage is expected. 

She said the 700 individuals include power line technicians, damage assessors, logistics staff, and customer care staff. An arborist is also on standby to help technicians access lines, said Poirier. 

In Saint John, the city is experiencing delays in garbage collection and is asking residents to leave their uncollected garbage at the curb until 6 p.m. Friday, but to move it inside if it hasn't been collected by then to avoid it being blown around by the storm.

Officials said residents can put their garbage back out on Sunday night after the storm has passed.