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8aEST/AST 19Sept2017: Winds 160mph, moving WNW 9mph, pressure 933mb. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico need to be completing preparations for possible landfall of a Cat4/5 storm. Hurricane force winds extend 30miles from storm center, 125miles for Tropical Storm force winds.
Hazards Affecting Land from NHC:
"HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
---------------------- WIND: Hurricane conditions will continue to spread throughout portions of the hurricane warning area in the Leeward Islands this morning. Hurricane conditions should spread through the remainder of the hurricane warning area later today and Wednesday. Hurricane conditions are possible within the hurricane watch area in the Dominican Republic late Wednesday, with tropical storm conditions possible by early Wednesday. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the tropical storm watch area in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday.
Wind speeds atop and on the windward sides of hills and mountains could be much stronger than the near-surface winds indicated in this advisory.
STORM SURGE: A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves will raise water levels by as much as 7 to 11 feet above normal tide levels in the hurricane warning area near where the center of Maria moves across the Leeward Islands and the British Virgin Islands.
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.
RAINFALL: Maria is expected to produce the following rain accumulations through Thursday:
Central and southern Leeward Islands...10 to 15 inches, isolated 20 inches. U.S. and British Virgin Islands...10 to 15 inches, isolated 20 inches.
Puerto Rico...12 to 18 inches, isolated 25 inches. Northern Leeward Islands from Barbuda to Anguilla...4 to 8 inches, isolated 10 inches. Windward Islands and Barbados...2 to 4 inches, isolated 6 inches. Eastern Dominican Republic...4 to 8 inches, isolated 12 inches.
Rainfall on all of these islands will cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
SURF: Swells generated by Maria are affecting the Lesser Antilles. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office."
Even the premier of the island has his house destroyed and is asking for help. Scary
If someone sees actual pictures, flyover, etc., of Maria please post the link. I haven't seen any pics of any damage at all. Which I do find bizarre as the media lives to show destruction and tragedy. There should be nothing left standing on the island. Nothing.
Maybe later today photo coverage will be available. But I won't believe it was truly a cat 5 unless I can SEE it for myself. Storm was too weird.
All I've seen thus far is old storm pics from past storms being shown as from Maria. The cat5 damage will only be on part of the island where the eye wall went which should include many defoliated trees, much less damage outside that path.
Location: Big Island of Hawaii & HOT BuOYS Sailing Vessel
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DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK ------------------------------ At 1100 AM AST (1500 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Maria was located near latitude 16.3 North, longitude 63.1 West. Maria is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph (17 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue through Wednesday night. On the forecast track, the eye of Maria will move over the northeastern Caribbean Sea today, and then pass near or over the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Wednesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 160 mph (260 km/h) with higher gusts. Maria is a potentially catastrophic category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next day or two, but Maria is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous category 4 or 5 hurricane until it moves near or over the Virgin Islands and Puerto Ric
All I've seen thus far is old storm pics from past storms being shown as from Maria. The cat5 damage will only be on part of the island where the eye wall went which should include many defoliated trees, much less damage outside that path.
I'm just finding the reporting on this storm odd. The prime minister is tweeting during a cat 5 that everyone he has talked to -- while the cat 5 is roaring overhead BTW -- has reported that all of their roofs are gone. How do they know this? If they were at a shelter, they wouldn't know anything about their houses. And if they were at home and the 160 mph wind tore the roof off, I think they'd either be dead or too concerned with survival to take a freaking phone call/ text or tweet/FB.
Still no actual pics of the damage, although the internet supplier to the island claims there are spots where internet is working. Which, again, I find odd.
Maria starting to enter Puerto Rico weather radar space (around 3.5mln people in PR, mostly living near the coast around the island):
Worst winds currently over open water, small core keeps hurricane winds in towards the center.
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