At 200 PM AST (1800 UTC), the center of Hurricane Maria was located by an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft just offshore of the northwestern coast of Puerto Rico near latitude 18.5 North, longitude 66.9 West. Maria is moving toward the northwest near 12 mph (19 km/h), and this general motion with a gradual decrease in forward speed is expected through early Friday. On the forecast track, the center of Maria will move away from the northwestern coast of Puerto Rico this afternoon. The center will then pass offshore of the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic tonight and Thursday and then move near the Turks and Caicos Islands and southeastern Bahamas Thursday night and Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph (185 km/h) with higher gusts. Maria is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Maria is expected to remain a dangerous major hurricane through Friday.
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 45 mph (72 km/h) with a gust to 77 mph (124 km/h) was recently reported at Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. A sustained wind of 46 mph (74 km/h) with a gust to 76 mph (122 km/h) was recently reported at Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.
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... * 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... * Dominican Republic from Isla Saona to Cabo Engano