The Caribbean Islands just can’t catch a break.
Earlier this morning, Hurricane Maria was upgraded to a category three storm and is moving along the same path as Hurricane Irma, the category five storm that left 37 dead.
Hurricane warnings have been issued for Guadeloupe, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, and Martinique.
A tropical hurricane warning was issued for St. Vincent, the Grenadines ,St. Martin, St. Barts, Saba, St. Eustatius, Anguilla, and Puerto Rico.
According to the latest update provided by the U.S. National Hurricane Centre at 2 p.m. on Monday, the eye of the storm is located on Martinique moving westward. It will move through the Leeward Islands later this afternoon and evening. Winds are expected to gust at 200km/hr and Maria is being described as a “dangerous major hurricane.”
“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 update reads. “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.”
Maria is expected to produce six to 12 inches of rainfall with isolated amounts of 20 inches across central and southern Leeward Islands as well as the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico can expect up to 25 inches. This can cause flash floods and mudslides.
More to come.
Hurricane Maria Strengthens To Category 3, Heads Toward Caribbean https://t.co/U2aGjDQjPO pic.twitter.com/cRkID372rE
— Global Issues Web (@globalissuesweb) September 18, 2017
#Maria is now a major (Cat. 3+) hurricane – 4th of 2017 Atlantic season to date – first time since 2010 w/ 4 Atl. major hurricanes by 9/18. pic.twitter.com/cUNmSnb3cN
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) September 18, 2017
The calm before the storm #HurricaneMaria #playasanta pic.twitter.com/F3MyWYETnW
— Blanco718 (@Blanco718_) September 18, 2017
