The Weather Situation Potential tropical cyclone 15 went to tropical depression 15 to tropical storm Maria in a matter of several hours this afternoon. Banding increased as well as deep convection allowing it to be classified.
Current Tropical Weather As of 5:00 PM AST Tropical Storm Maria was centered at 12.3 N / 52.6 W or ESE of the Lesser Antilles. It was moving west at 20 mph. Top sustained winds are estimated at 50 mph. Pressure was estimated at 1002 MB.
Tropical Weather Forecast: Maria is forecast to strengthen and impact similar locations in the Leewards that Irma affected only several days ago. It is expected to turn NE toward the SE Bahamas. It should be near the Leewards late Monday into Tuesday as a hurricane and possibly a major hurricane near Puerto Rico by Wednesday.
Tropicast: Visible Satellite
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
The Weather Situation Maria continues to organize and will be a hurricane before reaching the Islands. Preparations should be completed by later today in the Leewards and northern Windwards.
Current Tropical Weather As of 8:00 AM AST Tropical Storm Maria was centered at 13.3 N / 55.6 W or 410 miles ESE of the Lesser Antilles. It was moving WNW at 15 mph. Top sustained winds are estimated at 65 mph. Pressure was estimated at 994 MB.
Tropical Weather Forecast: Maria is forecast to strengthen and impact similar locations in the Leewards that Irma affected only several days ago. It is expected to turn NE toward the SE Bahamas. It should be near the Leewards / northern Windwards late Monday into Tuesday as a hurricane and likely a major hurricane near Puerto Rico by Wednesday.
Tropicast: Visible Satellite
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
The Weather Situation Maria was classified as a hurricane at 5 pm yesterday. It continues to gain strength and will likely become a major hurricane today. Unfortunately, it will affect some areas in the islands that were recently hit by hurricane Irma.
Current Tropical Weather As of 8:00 AM AST Hurricane Maria was centered at 14.6 N / 59.7 W or 85 miles east of Martinique. It was moving WNW at 12 mph. Top sustained winds are estimated at 110 mph. Pressure was estimated at 967 MB.
Tropical Weather Forecast: Maria will move through the southern Leewards and northern Windwards today and make its way toward Puerto Rico by Wednesday as a major hurricane. It will then move more NW toward the Turks and Caicos / SE Bahamas.
Tropicast: Visible Satellite
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
The Weather Situation Maria is closing passing through the Lesser Antilles over Dominica during the next few hours before entering the NE Caribbean Sea.
Current Tropical Weather As of 5:00 PM AST Hurricane Maria was centered at 15.1 N / 60.7 W or 35 miles NE of Martinique / 45 miles ESE of Dominica. It was moving WNW at 9 mph. Top sustained winds are estimated at 130 mph. Pressure was estimated at 950 MB.
Tropical Weather Forecast: Maria will make its way toward Puerto Rico by Tuesday night / Wednesday as a major hurricane. It will then move more NW toward the Turks and Caicos / SE Bahamas.
Tropicast: Visible Satellite
Tropicast: IR Satellite
Tropicast: Water Vapor Satellite
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
Maria becomes a cat 5 at 8 pm.... about to cross Dominica at 9 pm
Hurricane Maria Tropical Cyclone Update NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL152017 900 PM AST Mon Sep 18 2017
...900 PM AST POSITION UPDATE... ...EYEWALL OF CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE MARIA MOVING ONSHORE OVER DOMINICA...
At 900 PM AST (0100 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Maria was estimated by data from the French radar on Martinique near latitude 15.3 North, longitude 61.2 West.
SUMMARY OF 900 PM AST...0100 UTC...INFORMATION --------------------------------------------------- LOCATION...15.3N 61.2W ABOUT 5 MI...10 KM SE OF DOMINICA MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...160 MPH...260 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 295 DEGREES AT 9 MPH...15 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...924 MB...27.29 INCHES
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
The Weather Situation Maria devastated the island of Dominica as it moved directly over the island last night. It is now on a course to move over St. Croix and Puerto Rico late tonight into Wednesday. All actions of preparation should be completed today in these locations.
Current Tropical Weather As of 8:00 AM AST Hurricane Maria was centered at 16.2 N / 62.8 W or 170 miles SE of St. Croix. It was moving WNW at 9 mph. Top sustained winds are estimated at 160 mph. Pressure was estimated at 933 MB.
Tropical Weather Forecast: Maria will make its way toward Puerto Rico by Tuesday night / Wednesday as a major hurricane. It will then move more NW toward the Turks and Caicos / SE Bahamas.
Tropicast: Visible Satellite
Tropicast: IR Satellite
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
The Weather Situation Maria continues to strengthen as it heads toward St. Croix tonight. An outer eyewall is trying to develop which could stall additional strengthening or weaken it slightly.
Current Tropical Weather As of 7:00 PM AST Hurricane Maria was centered at 16.9 N / 64.1 W or 70 miles SE of St. Croix / 165 miles SE of San Juan, Puerto Rico It was moving WNW at 10 mph. Top sustained winds are estimated at 165 mph. Pressure was estimated at 909 MB.
Tropical Weather Forecast: Maria will pass over / very near to St. Croix after midnight tonight. Then it will make its way toward Puerto Rico by late tonight / Wednesday as a major hurricane. It will then move more NW toward the Turks and Caicos / SE Bahamas.
Tropicast: Late Afternoon Visible Satellite
Tropicast: Evening IR Satellite
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
Pressure measured by recon is now 906 mb / 175 mph winds. This makes Maria the 9th most intense Atlantic hurricane and the 4th strongest by wind speed.
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
The Weather Situation Maria skirted just SW of St. Croix around 2 AM EDT this morning. An outer eye wall started developing and curtailed further strengthening. Maria made landfall on the SE coast of Puerto Rico around 6:15 am AST near Yabucoa. Winds were 155 mph - category 4.
The main effects will continued to be flooding / mudslides as 20+" of rainfall will fall. Surge, heavy surf and damaging winds will continue today.
Current Tropical Weather As of 11:00 AM AST Hurricane Maria was centered at 18.4 N / 66.5 W or 25 miles west of San Juan, Puerto Rico It was moving west at 12 mph. Top sustained winds are estimated at 140 mph. Pressure was estimated at 930 MB.
Tropical Weather Forecast: Maria will restrengthen as it moves off of the northern Puerto Rico coast later today. It will then move more NW toward the Turks and Caicos / SE Bahamas.
Tropicast: IR Satellite at landfall
Tropicast: Visible Satellite
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
The Weather Situation Maria is NE of the Dominican Republic. Heavy rain bands still over Puerto Rico.
Current Tropical Weather As of 11:00 PM AST Hurricane Maria was centered at 19.2 N / 67.9 W or 260 miles SE of Grand Turk. It was moving NW at 9 mph. Top sustained winds are estimated at 110 mph. Pressure was estimated at 959 MB.
Tropicast: IR Satellite
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
Maria bringing rough weather to the Dominican Republic
The Weather Situation Maria is continuing to to batter the Dominican Republic. Very heavy rainfall / strong winds and waves will continue to batter the north shore today. Heavy rainfall also continues to affect Puerto Rico. The eye wall is now redeveloping and Maria has a large eye wall.
Current Tropical Weather As of 8:00 AM AST Hurricane Maria was centered at 19.9 N / 68.7 W or 190 miles SE of Grank Turk. It was moving NW at 9 mph. Top sustained winds are estimated at 115 mph. Pressure was estimated at 959 MB.
Tropical Weather Forecast: Maria will restrengthen as it moves NW today. It will then move toward or just east the Turks and Caicos / SE Bahamas by Friday evening.
Tropicast: Visible Satellite
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
The Weather Situation Maria is finally pulling away from the Dominican Republic. The Turks and Caicos have been in the eye wall this morning.
Current Tropical Weather As of 8:00 AM AST Hurricane Maria was centered at 21.9 N / 70.7 W or 30 miles NNE of Grank Turk. It was moving NW at 7 mph. Top sustained winds are estimated at 125 mph. Pressure was estimated at 959 MB.
Tropical Weather Forecast: Maria will gradually lose strength over the next few days as it moves east of the Bahamas. It will not be a threat through at least Tuesday.
Tropicast: Visible Satellite
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
The Weather Situation Maria is finally pulling away from the Turks and Caicos and SE Bahamas.
Current Tropical Weather As of 2:00 PM AST Hurricane Maria was centered at 22.8 N / 71.2 W or 90 miles north of Grank Turk. It was moving NNW at 9 mph. Top sustained winds are estimated at 125 mph. Pressure was estimated at 959 MB.
Tropical Weather Forecast: Maria will gradually lose strength over the next few days as it moves east of the Bahamas. It will not be a threat through at least Wednesday.
Tropicast: Visible Satellite
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
The Weather Situation Maria is east of the Bahamas and all warnings have been dropped. It is still close enough for outer rain bands to bring a few squalls to the eastern Bahamas the next few days.
Current Tropical Weather As of 5:00 AM AST Hurricane Maria was centered at 24.8 N / 72.0 W or 165 miles ENE of San Salvador. It was moving NW at 9 mph. Top sustained winds are estimated at 120 mph. Pressure was estimated at 952 MB.
Tropical Weather Forecast: Maria will gradually lose strength over the next few days as it moves NNE of the Bahamas. It will not be a threat through at least Wednesday.
Tropicast: IR Satellite
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert
The Weather Situation Maria has pulled away from the Bahamas and is now well east of Florida.
Current Tropical Weather As of 5:00 AM AST Hurricane Maria was centered at 27.9 N / 72.7 W or 530 SSE of Cape Hatteras, NC. It was moving north at 9 mph. Top sustained winds are estimated at 110 mph. Pressure was estimated at 948 MB.
Tropical Weather Forecast: Models have moved slightly west over the past few days. This may bring some effects such as rough surf, gusty winds and rain bands to Cape Hatteras late Tuesday into Wednesday.
Tropicast: Saturday Afternoon Visible Satellite
Tropicast: Sunday Morning Visible Satellite
Rich Johnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx Certified Broadcast Meteorologist - Hurricane Expert