...A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ST. MAARTEN...
DATE ISSUED: Monday, September 18, 2017 TIME ISSUED: 8:00 AM
...HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT REPORTS MARIA INTENSIFYING...
...EXPECTED TO BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE LATER TODAY...
Location: Lat. 14.6N ....Lon. 59.7W
About: 325 miles SE of St. Maarten
Maximum sustained winds: 110 mph ....175 KM/H
Present Movement: WNW...290 degrees at 12 mph...19 KM/H
Minimum Central Pressure: 967 mb....28.56 inches
DISCUSSION AND 24-HOUR OUTLOOK
AT 8:00 AM...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE MARIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 14.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 59.7 WEST OR ABOUT 325 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ST.
MAARTEN.
MARIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH (19 KM/H), AND THIS
MOTION WITH A REDUCTION IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 110 MPH...175 KM/H...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.
ADDITIONAL RAPID STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AND MARIA
IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A DANGEROUS MAJOR HURRICANE BEFORE IT MOVES ACROSS THE
LEEWARD ISLANDS MONDAY NIGHT.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 15 MILES (30KM) FROM THE CENTER
AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND UP TO 105 MILES (165KM) FROM THE CENTER.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 967 MB...28.56 INCHES.
ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF MARIA WILL MOVE ACROSS THE LEEWARD
ISLANDS MONDAY NIGHT AND THE EXTREME NORTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA ON
TUESDAY. TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS COULD
