Tropical Storm Maria Maria is moving toward the northwest near 9 mph, 15 km/h. A gradual turn toward the north is expected during the next couple of days. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says the storm’s center is expected to pass well east of the southeastern Bahamas. Maria’s forecast track shows it eventually curving away from the U.S.
With maximum sustained winds near 60 mph, 95 km/h, with higher gusts, little change in strength is forecast during the next 48 hours.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 200 miles, 325 km from the center. A NOAA buoy located about 85 miles east of the center recently reported a sustained wind of 47 mph.
Maria is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 2 to 4 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 6 inches over the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and portions of the northern Leeward Islands through Tuesday.
