Miami, Fla. (970 WFLA)-At 800 AM, the center of Hurricane Maria was located near latitude 21.9 North, longitude 70.9 West. Maria is about 30 miles north-northeast of Grand Turk Island, and about 465 miles east-southeast Nassau.
Maria is moving toward the northwest near 7 mph, and a motion toward the north-northwest is expected later today and Saturday. On the forecast track, Maria's eye will move near or just east of the Turks and Caicos Islands and southeastern Bahamas today.
Maximum sustained winds are near 125 mph with higher gusts. Maria is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. A gradual weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours.Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km) from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 160 miles.
The minimum central pressure based on data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is 959 mb (28.32 inches).
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* 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
* Central Bahamas
Graphic Credit: NHC Miami