WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Forecasters anticipate Hurricane Maria to get a Category 4 storm and that it will reach the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico in the middle of this week, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in an advisory on Monday.
"Maria is likely to affect the British and US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by mid-week as a dangerous major hurricane," the advisory stated.
Looks like #HurricaneMARIA will be one of the strongest #hurricanes to hit #PuertoRico in years. Please prepare now.. ⚠️⚠️ #Maria #category4 pic.twitter.com/fhChwAK4TT
— The Invisible Man (@invisibleman_17) 18 сентября 2017 г.
Earlier in the day, the NHC warned that Hurricane Maria is expected to move along the Leeward Islands in the afternoon with winds of 120 miles per hour.
CATEGORY 3 #HurricaneMaria continues to intensify, now with 120 mph max sustained winds, higher gusts heading straight for Dominica! pic.twitter.com/WQylUJrVxd
— Reed Timmer (@ReedTimmerAccu) 18 сентября 2017 г.
In preparation for #HurricaneMaria please note the emergency telephone numbers for #NEMA pic.twitter.com/bGYAj79lwI
— RSCNPF (@PoliceSKN) 18 сентября 2017 г.
Maria is the fourth strong hurricane recorded in the Atlantic basin this year that comes nearly a week after Hurricane Irma devastated numerous Caribbean islands and the southeast portion of the United States, and left more than 80 people dead.
