Tropical Storm Maria Threatens The Eastern Caribbean

Category: Connect Created on Saturday, 10 September 2011 12:16

The National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm warning for a host of islands across the Caribbean. The islands affected are Antigua, Anguilla, Barbuda, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, Martinique, Dominica, and Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra.

TROPICAL STORM MARIA ADVISORY

5 a.m. update -- Maria refuses to strengthen.

Watches and warnings

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:

• Guadeloupe

• St. Maartin, Saba and St. Eustatius

• Antigua, Anguilla, Barbuda, Montserrat, Nevis, Saint Kitts and the British Virgin Islands

• St. Barthelemy, St. Marteen and Martinique

• U.S. Virgin Islands.

• Dominica

• Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra

Interests elsewhere in the Lesser Antilles, the Dominican Republic, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the southeastern Bahamas should monitor the progress of Maria.

48-hour outlook

At 5 a.m., the center of Tropical Storm Maria was located near latitude 16.0 north, longitude 60.2 west. 

Maria is moving toward the northwest near 13 mph. This general motion is expected to continue during the next day or two. On the forecast track, Maria and its associated weather will move over the Leeward Islands later today and reach the Virgin Islands by later tonight. 

Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph with higher gusts. Little change in intensity is expected as Maria moves across the northeastern Caribbean Sea but some strengthening is forecast as it moves over the open Atlantic. 

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles, mainly to the northeast of the center. 

Estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 mb or 29.68 inches.

Hazards affecting land

WIND: Tropical storm conditions are expected to spread over the Lesser Antilles today and then over the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by the end of the day.

RAINFALL: Maria is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 4 to 8 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 10 inches over the central to northern Lesser Antilles, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

STORM SURGE: A storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 1 to 2 feet above normal tide levels along the immediate coast within the warning area. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves.

Photo Credit To Palm Beach Post