Intensifying Hurricane Maria is a severe threat to the Caribbean and Puerto Rico; Jose to scrape Northeast coast
The wicked 2017 hurricane season is set to deliver its next two punishing blows from Hurricanes Maria and Jose. In both the Caribbean and along the Atlantic coast of the Northeast United States, conditions are set to deteriorate rapidly through Wednesday as these storms arrive.
Of the two storms, however, Maria is the much more serious hurricane. The strengthening Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph has the potential to cause widespread destruction along its path from the central Lesser Antilles through Puerto Rico.
“Maria is likely to affect Puerto Rico as an extremely dangerous major hurricane, and a hurricane watch is in effect for that island,” the National Hurricane Center said Monday.
While Jose is capable of producing coastal flooding and pockets of damaging wind from Delaware to Massachusetts, its effects are most likely to resemble those of a strong Nor’easter – rather than a devastating hurricane.