Intensifying Hurricane Maria is a severe threat to the Caribbean and Puerto Rico; Jose to scrape...
Intensifying Hurricane Maria is a severe threat to the Caribbean and Puerto Rico; Jose to scrape Northeast coast
By Jason Samenow September 18 at 4:28 PM
(This article, originally published at noon, was updated with the latest wind and storm location information at 4:28 p.m.)
The wicked 2017 hurricane season is set to deliver its next two punishing blows from Hurricanes Maria and Jose. In both the Caribbean and along the Atlantic coast of the Northeast United States, conditions are set to deteriorate rapidly through Wednesday as these storms arrive.
Of the two storms, however, Maria is the much more serious hurricane. The strengthening Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph has the potential to cause widespread destruction along its path from the central Lesser Antilles through Puerto Rico.
Maria is likely to affect Puerto Rico as an extremely dangerous major hurricane, and a hurricane watch is in effect for that island, the National Hurricane Center said Monday.
While Jose is capable of producing coastal flooding and pockets of damaging wind from Delaware to Massachusetts, its effects are most likely to resemble those of a strong Noreaster rather than a devastating hurricane.
This storm is rapidly intensifying which is a troubling scenario for the islands it will sweep across. At 2 p.m. Monday, it was positioned 45 miles east-northeast of Martinique, plowing west-northwest at 10 mph. The Hurricane Center predicts it will reach Category 4 intensity late Monday or early Tuesday and may peak in intensity Wednesday when it is nearing St. Croix and Puerto Rico.
Atmospheric and oceanic conditions appear favorable for additional rapid strengthening for the next 24 hours and possibly longer, the Hurricane Center said.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/09/18/intensifying-hurricane-maria-is-a-severe-threat-to-caribbean-and-puerto-rico-jose-to-scrape-northeast-coast