8:00AM Update on Hurricane Maria: Eye of Storm Moving Across Puerto Rico

8:00AM Update on Hurricane Maria: Eye of Storm Moving Across Puerto Rico
Author

National Hurricane Center

Release Date

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

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SUMMARY OF 800 AM AST...1200 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...18.2N 66.1W
ABOUT 15 MI...30 KM SSW OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...150 MPH...240 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 305 DEGREES AT 10 MPH...17 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...921 MB...27.20 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

The government of France has changed the Hurricane Watch for St.
Martin and St. Barthelemy to a Tropical Storm Warning.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* U.S. Virgin Islands
* British Virgin Islands
* Puerto Rico, Culebra, and Vieques
* Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to Puerto Plata
* Turks and Caicos Islands and the Southeastern Bahamas

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Saba
* St. Maarten
* St. Martin and St. Barthelemy
* Dominican Republic west of Puerto Plata to the northern border of
the Dominican Republic and Haiti
* Dominican Republic west of Cabo Engano to Punta Palenque

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* St. Maarten
* Dominican Republic from Isla Saona to Cabo Engano


DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
At 800 AM AST (1200 UTC), the center of Hurricane Maria was located
near latitude 18.2 North, longitude 66.1 West. Maria is moving
toward the northwest near 10 mph (17 km/h). A west-northwest to
northwest motion is expected to continue through today, followed by
a northwestward motion on Thursday. On the forecast track, the eye
of Maria will continue to move across Puerto Rico this morning and
emerge off the northern coast by this afternoon. The center will
then pass just north of the northeast coast of the Dominican
Republic tonight and Thursday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 150 mph (240 km/h) with higher
gusts. Maria is an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane on the
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, and it is forecast to retain
this intensity while it moves across Puerto Rico.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95 km) from
the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150
miles (240 km). A sustained wind of 81 mph (130 km/h) with a gust
to 109 mph (175 km/h) was recently reported at Yabucoa Harbor,
Puerto Rico. A sustained wind of 63 mph (101 km/h) with a gust to
118 mph (190 km/h) was recently reported at Camp Santiago, Puerto
Rico.

A National Ocean Service tide gauge at Yabucoa Harbor recently
reported a water level of 5.3 ft above Mean Higher High Water.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 921 mb (27.20 inches).


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
WIND: Tropical storm and hurricane conditions are occurring over
the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Hurricane conditions are
expected within the Hurricane Warning area in the Dominican Republic
tonight, with tropical storm conditions expected by later today.
Tropical storm conditions are expected in the Tropical Storm Warning
areas in the Dominican Republic later today. Hurricane conditions
are expected within the Hurricane Warning area by late Thursday in
the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas, with
tropical storm conditions in this area by early Thursday.

Wind speeds atop and on the windward sides of hills and mountains
and on high-rise buildings could be much stronger than the near-
surface winds indicated in this advisory.

STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the
tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by
rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water is
expected to reach the following heights above ground if the peak
surge occurs at the time of high tide...

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands...6 to 9 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to
the north and east of the landfall location, where the surge will be
accompanied by large and destructive waves. Surge-related
flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal
cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. For information
specific to your area, please see products issued by your local
National Weather Service forecast office.

A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves
will raise water levels by as much as 4 to 6 feet above normal tide
levels in the hurricane warning area in the Dominican Republic, and
1 to 3 ft elsewhere along the northern coasts of the Dominican
Republic and Haiti.

A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves
will raise water levels by as much as 10 to 15 feet above normal
tide levels in the hurricane warning area near and to the north of
the center of Maria for both the Southeastern Bahamas and the Turks
and Caicos Islands.

RAINFALL: Maria is expected to produce the following rain
accumulations through Friday:

Central Leeward Islands...additional 1 to 2 inches.
Northern Leeward Islands from Barbuda to Anguilla...additional 2 to
5 inches.
U.S. and British Virgin Islands...additional 8 to 12 inches,
isolated 16 inches.
Puerto Rico...12 to 18 inches, isolated 25 inches.
Northern and eastern Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos...4 to
8 inches, isolated 12 inches.
Northern Haiti and southeastern Bahamas...2 to 4 inches.

Rainfall on these islands will cause life-threatening flash floods
and mudslides.

TORNADOES: Several tornadoes are possible over Puerto Rico and the
U.S. Virgin Islands today.

THE EYE: Do not venture outside when the calm eye of the hurricane
passes over, as dangerous winds will return very quickly when the
eye moves away.

SURF: Swells generated by Maria are affecting the Leeward Islands,
Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These swells will begin
affecting the northern coast of Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos
Islands, and the Southeastern Bahamas during the next day or two.
These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip
current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather
office.



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