MIAMI (CBSMiami) – After battering Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria is now lashing northeastern Dominican Republic.

At 5 a.m., the center of the Category 3 hurricane was about 70 miles north of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Maria was moving to the northwest at 9 mph with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph with higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles. Punta Cana in the eastern Dominican Republic recently reported a wind gust to 56 mph.

A turn toward the north-northwest is forecast on Friday. On the forecast track, the eye of Hurricane Maria will continue to pass offshore of the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic today. Maria should then move near the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas tonight and Friday.

Some strengthening is possible during the next day or so.

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

 * Dominican Republic west of Cabo Engano to Punta Palenque

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for…

 * Dominican Republic from Isla Saona to Cabo Engano

Strong gusty winds are still occurring over portions of Puerto Rico, but should continue to gradually subside this morning.

 Tropical storm or hurricane conditions are continuing across portions of the warning areas in the Dominican Republic. Hurricane conditions are expected to begin in portions of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas tonight, with tropical storm conditions beginning in these areas later today.

A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves will raise water levels by as much as 4 to 6 feet above normal tide levels in the hurricane warning area in the Dominican Republic, and 1 to 3 ft elsewhere along the northern coasts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves will raise water levels by as much as 9 to 12 feet above normal tide levels within the hurricane warning area of the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Maria is expected to produce the following rainfall accumulations through Saturday:

*Puerto Rico…additional 4 to 8 inches, isolated maximum storm total amounts 35 inches.

 *U.S. and British Virgin Islands…additional 2 to 4 inches.

 *Northern and eastern Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, and Mayaguana in southeast Bahamas…8 to 16 inches, isolated 20 inches.

 *Inagua Islands, Crooked Island, and rest of southeast Bahamas…4 to 8 inches.

 *Northern Haiti…2 to 4 inches.

Rainfall on these islands will continue to cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
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• Click here to download the CBS4 2017 Hurricane Guide (English) </s> Hurricane Maria is currently located about 20 miles west-southwest of St Croix and about 85 miles southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 165 mph, making it a category 5 hurricane. It is moving at 10mph in a west-northwesterly direction. The NOAA said: “On the forecast track, the eye of Maria will cross Puerto Rico today, and pass just north of the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic tonight and Thursday. “Some fluctuations in intensity could occur before the hurricane reaches Puerto Rico, but Maria is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous category 4 or 5 hurricane as it moves over Puerto Rico.

“Slow weakening is expected after the hurricane emerges over the Atlantic north of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.” “Tropical storm conditions will continue in portions of the warning area in the Leeward Islands this morning. “Tropical storm and hurricane conditions are occurring over the Virgin Islands and will spread over Puerto Rico in the next few hours. “Hurricane conditions are expected within the Hurricane Warning area in the Dominican Republic tonight, with tropical storm conditions expected by later today.” Tornadoes are possible over Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands today.

A deadly storm surge accompanied by large waves will raise water levels by as much as 7 to 11 feet near the British Virgin Islands. Water levels will rise by as much as 4 to 6 feet in the hurricane warning area in the Dominican Republican and by 1 to 3 feet elsewhere along the northern coast of Hispaniola. In Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, water levels will rise by as much as 6 to 9 feet if the peak surge coincides with the high tide. Maria is expected to produce the following rain accumulations through Friday:
• Northern Leeward Islands from Barbuda to Anguilla...additional 3 to 6 inches.
• US and British Virgin Islands...additional 8 to 12 inches, isolated 16 inches.

Rainfall on all of these islands will cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. Surf swells are affecting the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These swells will begin affecting the northern coast of Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Southeastern Bahamas during the next day or two. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for: </s> SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Much of the eastern Caribbean island of Barbados shut down on Monday as Tropical Storm Dorian approached the region and gathered strength, threatening to turn into a small hurricane that forecasters said could affect Puerto Rico and its neighbors later in the week.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley closed schools and government offices across Barbados as she warned people to remain indoors.

"When you're dead, you're dead," she said in a televised address late Sunday. "Stay inside and get some rest."

The U.S. National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning for Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It also issued a tropical storm watch for Dominica, Martinique, Grenada, Saba and St. Eustatius. The storm was expected to dump between 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) of rain in Barbados and nearby islands, with isolated amounts of 6 inches (15 centimeters).

As of 8 a.m. EDT Monday, the fourth tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season was centered about 205 miles (330 kilometers) east-southeast of Barbados and moving west at 14 mph (23 kph). Maximum sustained winds were at 60 mph (85 kph). Forecasters said it could brush past southwest Puerto Rico late Wednesday as a Category 1 hurricane and then strike the southeast corner of the Dominican Republic early Thursday.

In Barbados, many of the 285,000 inhabitants heeded the government's warning, including Fitz Bostic, owner of Rest Haven Beach Cottages. He said he's prepared in case officials shut down power and utility services as they have in previous storms.

"We have to be very cautious," he said in a telephone interview. "The word 'storm' frightens me man. I'm very nervous."

In the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, hundreds of people have been crowding into grocery stores and gas stations to prepare for Dorian, buying food, water and generators, among other things. Many are worried about power outages and heavy rains on an island still struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm that hit nearly two years ago. Some 30,000 homes still have blue tarps as roofs and the electrical grid remains fragile and prone to outages even during brief rain showers. </s> (SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico) — Hurricane Maria grew into an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm Monday as it barreled toward a potentially devastating collision with islands in the eastern Caribbean, and forecasters warned it was likely to become even stronger.

The storm's eye was expected to pass near Dominica later in the day on a path that would take it near many of the islands already wrecked by Hurricane Irma and then on toward a possible direct strike on Puerto Rico on Wednesday.

"This storm promises to be catastrophic for our island," said Ernesto Morales with the U.S. National Weather Service in San Juan. "All of Puerto Rico will experience hurricane force winds."

The U.S. territory imposed rationing of basic supplies including water, milk, baby formula, canned food, batteries and flashlights.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Maria had maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 kph) in late afternoon. It was centered about 35 miles (55 kilometers) northeast of Martinique and 45 miles (70 kilometers) east-southeast of Dominica, and was heading west-northwest at 9 mph (15 kph).

The center said Maria would likely continue to gain strength for the next 24 hours or longer and could reach Category 5 status.

Hurricane warnings were posted for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat and Martinique. A tropical storm warning was issued for Antigua and Barbuda, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, St. Lucia and Anguilla.

Forecasters said storm surge could raise water levels by 6 to 9 feet (1.8 to 2.7 meters) near the storm's center. The storm was predicted to bring 10 to 15 inches (25 to 38 centimeters) of rain across the islands, with more in isolated areas.

Officials in Dominica closed schools and government offices and urged people to evacuate and seek shelters.

"We should treat the approaching hurricane very, very seriously," Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said. "This much water in Dominica is dangerous."

The small, mountainous island could be in trouble even if spared the storm's strongest winds. In August 2015, Tropical Storm Erika unleashed flooding and landslides that killed 31 people and destroyed more than 370 homes.

Officials in Guadeloupe said the French island would experience extremely heavy flooding starting in the afternoon and warned that many communities could be submerged overnight.

In nearby Martinique, authorities ordered people to remain indoors and said they should be prepared for power cuts and disruption in the water supply. All schools and non-essential public services were closed.

The storm's hurricane-force winds extended out about 25 miles (35 kilometers) from the eye, and tropical storm-force winds out as far as 125 miles (205 kilometers).

The current forecast track would carry it about 22 miles (35 kilometers) south of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands late Tuesday and early Wednesday, according to territorial Gov. Kenneth Mapp.

"We are going to have a very, very long night," Mapp said as he urged people in the territory to finish any preparations.

St. Thomas and St. John are still recovering from a direct hit by Hurricane Irma, which did extensive damage and caused four deaths on the two islands.

Officials and islanders were also bracing in Puerto Rico, which did not take a direct hit from Irma but still saw blackouts across much of the territory. Nearly 70,000 people remain without power, and Gov. Ricardo Rossello warned that more widespread outages are likely with Maria.

Forecasters said the storm would dump up to 18 inches (46 centimeters) of rain across Puerto Rico and whip the U.S. territory with heavy winds for 12 to 24 hours.

Officials said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was ready to bring drinking water and help restore power in Puerto Rico immediately after the storm.

Traffic was heavy Monday as people rushed to buy last-minute items. Among them was 70-year-old retiree Rafael Rivera, who clutched a small bag of dog treats for his dog and six puppies at home.

"This storm is coming with some bad intentions," he said at a San Juan store where some shoppers grumbled about empty shelves.

Rossello said Puerto Rico had prepared about 450 shelters capable of taking in up to 125,000 people in a worst-case scenario. Nearly 200 people are still in shelters due to Hurricane Irma. Classes were cancelled and government employees were to work only a half-day.

Farther north, long-lived Hurricane Jose continued to head northward well away from the U.S. East Coast but causing dangerous surf and rip currents. It was not expected to make landfall, but a tropical storm warning was in effect for coastal areas in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Tropical storm watches were posted for parts of New York's Long Island and Connecticut.

Jose was centered about 250 miles (405 kilometers) east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and was moving north at 10 mph (17 kph). It had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph).

Seawater washed over parts of North Carolina's Outer Banks as Jose passed, and five people were knocked off a coastal jetty in Rhode Island by high surf caused by the storm. Officials said rescuers had to fight through rough surf to load the injured onto stretchers and get them to shore. All five were hospitalized.

In the Pacific, Tropical Storm Norma's threat to Mexico's Los Cabos resort area at the southern end of the Baja California Peninsula eased as forecasters said it was moving away from shore and expected to weaken.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lee weakened into a tropical depression far out in the Atlantic and Hurricane Otis became a tropical storm far out in the Pacific. Neither threatened land. </s> A state of emergency has been declared in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Florida as Hurricane Irma heads for the region as a Category 5 storm that is expected to strengthen further before making landfall in the Caribbean later Tuesday.

The storm was upgraded to Category 5 from Category 4 in a National Hurricane Center advisory, putting it at the highest level of the Saffir-Simpson scale.

Irma now has maximum sustained winds of 185 miles an hour, making it an extremely dangerous and potentially catastrophic storm, the NHC warned. It’s the strongest hurricane in the Atlantic basin outside of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico in NHC records, it said.

AccuWeather said the storm ties as second strongest in the entire Atlantic basin, with only Hurricane Allen, which struck in 1980, showing stronger winds of 190 miles an hour.

“Some fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next day or two, but Irma is forecast to remain a powerful Category 4 or 5 hurricane during the next couple of days,” said the NHC advisory.

A hurricane warning is in effect for Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saba, St. Eustatius, and Sint Maarten, St. Martin and St. Barthelemy, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra, according to the advisory.

Computer models show the system eventually heading near the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba on Friday into Saturday, and possibly turning north toward Florida by the weekend.

“The chance of direct impacts from Irma later this week and this weekend is increasing in the Florida Keys and portions of the Florida Peninsula,” said the NHC. “However, it is too soon to specify the timing and magnitude of the impacts.”

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“Hurricane conditions are expected within the hurricane warning area by tonight, with tropical storm conditions beginning later today,” said the advisory.

Irma is expected to dump 8 to 12 inches of rain with up to 18 inches in some areas of the northern Leeward Islands. It is now expected to pour 4 to 10 inches across northeast Puerto Rico, and the British and U.S. Virgin Islands. Rainfall may cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

In addition, the center is tracking Tropical Storm Jose forming in the open Atlantic behind Irma. Jose is the 10th named storm of the season.

Schools were closed across the region and flights were canceled, according to the Associated Press. People were stocking up on last-minute supplies and boarding up homes ahead of the storm, said the AP. There were 907 flights cancelled in the U.S. on Tuesday, with another 4,478 flights delayed, according to tracker FlightAware.

“In Florida, we always prepare for the worst and hope for the best and while the exact path of Irma is not absolutely known at this time, we cannot afford to not be prepared,” he said in a statement.

Irma comes just days after hurricane Harvey battered Texas and Louisiana, causing damages that are estimated by AccuWeather to be up to $190 billion, which if realized, would make it the costliest-ever U.S. natural disaster.

With flood water now subsiding, many residents of Houston, which took the brunt of Harvey’s rain and wind, are leaving shelters and heading home to face a variety of obstacles, including toxic pollutants in the air and water, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The authorities have lifted an evacuation order at the site of the Arkema Inc. chemical plant that was hit by explosions last week as unstable chemicals ignited after power failure shut down refrigeration systems. </s> Santo Domingo.- An active tropical wave near the Windward Islands, Lesser Antilles, with a 90% chance of becoming a cyclone, will affect Dominican Republic on Friday and the weekend, the National Weather Office forecast on Wednesday.

It said it monitors the displacement of the system associated with a tropical disturbance located some 200 kilometers east / southeast of the Windward Islands, moving quickly westward around 28 kph.

For its part the National Hurricane Center in Miami says the system’s winds are from 40 to 45 kph.

Reports from an Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft indicate that the strong tropical wave located near Barbados is producing winds of 40 to 45 mph. Regardless of whether or not the system becomes a tropical storm before it moves through the Lesser Antilles, tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rains will spread across Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, and St. Lucia today.

Satellite and surface observations suggest that the circulation associated with the system has become better defined, and the reconnaissance aircraft is beginning its mission to determine if a tropical storm has formed.

The system is moving westward to west-northwestward at around 15 mph, and is expected to pass over the Lesser Antilles later today, and move over the southeastern Caribbean Sea tonight and Thursday.

Interests in the Windward and southern Leeward Islands should consult products issued by your national meteorological service, including possible tropical storm warnings or watches. </s> Hurricane Maria made landfall near Yabucoa, Puerto Rico early Wednesday morning as a Category 4 storm. The US and British Virgin Islands were hit hard by Maria as well, with a wind gust of 106 mph reported overnight in St. Croix.

The entire territory of Puerto Rico was without power as of Wednesday afternoon. The National Hurricane Center has warned of flooding and landslides as 6-9 feet of storm surge and 20+ inches of rain are both possible.

Maria moved over Puerto Rico after making landfall over Dominica Monday night as a Category 5 storm. Maria had strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane Monday evening, becoming the fourth major hurricane of the Atlantic Basin’s 2017 season and the second Category 5 storm of the 2017 season.

Maria is now moving past Puerto Rico, moving to the north side of Hispaniola . A Hurricane Warning extends from the northern coast of the Dominican Republic to the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Southeastern Bahamas.

Maria is expected to take a turn to the north, missing Florida by the end of the week. Most models are in agreement that Maria will stay out to sea from the US Mainland and weaken through next weekend. There is still a chance however that Maria could impact the Mid-Atlantic or Northeast Coast next week. The likely impacts would be similar to those of Jose, with high seas and rough surf along the east coast.

Below is additional information from the National Hurricane Center.

…DESTRUCTIVE WINDS AND FLOODING CONTINUE OVER PORTIONS OF PUERTO

 RICO…

 …CENTER OF MARIA APPROACHING THE NORTHERN COAST OF PUERTO RICO… SUMMARY OF 1100 AM AST…1500 UTC…INFORMATION

 ———————————————–

 LOCATION…18.4N 66.5W

 ABOUT 15 MI…25 KM ESE OF ARECIBO PUERTO RICO

 ABOUT 25 MI…40 KM W OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO

 MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…140 MPH…220 KM/H

 PRESENT MOVEMENT…NW OR 305 DEGREES AT 12 MPH…19 KM/H

 MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…930 MB…27.47 INCHES WATCHES AND WARNINGS

 ——————–

 CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY: The government of France has discontinued the Tropical Storm Warning

 for St. Martin and St. Barthelemy. The government of St. Maarten has discontinued the Tropical Storm

 Warning and Hurricane Watch for St. Maarten. The government of the Netherlands has discontinued the Tropical

 Storm Warning for Saba. 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 A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected

 somewhere within the warning area. Preparations to protect life and

 property should be rushed to completion. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are

 expected somewhere within the warning area. A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible

 within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before

 the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds,

 conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous. Interests elsewhere in Hispaniola and the Bahamas should monitor the

 progress of Maria. For storm information specific to your area in the United States,

 including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor

 products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast

 office. For storm information specific to your area outside the

 United States, please monitor products issued by your national

 meteorological service. DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK

 ——————————

 At 1100 AM AST (1500 UTC), the center of Hurricane Maria was located

 inland over Puerto Rico near latitude 18.4 North, longitude 66.5

 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 offshore of the northern coast of Puerto Rico during

 the next couple of hours. 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 140 mph (220 km/h) with higher

 gusts. Maria is a category 4 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). HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

 ———————-

 WIND: Hurricane and tropical storm conditions are occurring over

 Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Tropical storm conditions are

 expected to begin in the warning areas in the Dominican Republic

 this afternoon, with hurricane conditions starting in the hurricane

 warning area tonight. Tropical storm conditions are expected to

 begin in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas

 Thursday morning, with hurricane conditions starting Thursday

 evening. Wind speeds atop and on the windward sides of hills and mountains

 and on high-rise buildings could be much stronger than the near-

 surface winds indicated in this advisory. STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the

 tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by

 rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water is

 expected to reach the following heights above ground if the peak

 surge occurs at the time of high tide… The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to

 the north and east of the landfall location, where the surge will be

 accompanied by large and destructive waves. Surge-related flooding

 depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and

 can vary greatly over short distances. For information specific to

 your area, please see products issued by your local National Weather

 Service forecast office. A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves

 will raise water levels by as much as 4 to 6 feet above normal tide

 levels in the hurricane warning area in the Dominican Republic, and

 1 to 3 ft elsewhere along the northern coasts of the Dominican

 Republic and Haiti. A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves

 will raise water levels by as much as 10 to 15 feet above normal

 tide levels in the hurricane warning area near and to the north of

 the center of Maria for both the Southeastern Bahamas and the Turks

 and Caicos Islands. RAINFALL: Maria is expected to produce the following rainfall

 totals through Friday: Puerto Rico…12 to 18 inches, isolated 25 inches

 U.S. and British Virgin Islands…additional 5 to 10 inches,

 isolated 15 inches

 Northern and eastern Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos and

 southeast Bahamas…8 to 16 inches, isolated 20 inches

 Northern Haiti…2 to 4 inches Rainfall on these islands will cause life-threatening flash floods

 and mudslides TORNADOES: Several tornadoes are possible over Puerto Rico and the

 U.S. Virgin Islands today. THE EYE: Do not venture outside when the calm eye of the hurricane

 passes over, as dangerous winds will return very quickly when the

 eye moves away. SURF: Swells generated by Maria are affecting the Leeward Islands,

 Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These swells will begin

 affecting the northern coast of Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos

 Islands, and the Southeastern Bahamas during the next day or two.

 These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip

 current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather

 office. </s> SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Workers in the northeast Caribbean cleared drains and pruned trees as authorities urged islanders to prepare for Hurricane Irma, a Category 3 storm that grew stronger Monday and was forecast to begin buffeting the region the following day.

Emergency officials warned that Irma could dump up to 10 inches (25 centimetres) of rain, unleash landslides and dangerous flash floods and generate waves of up to 23 feet (7 metres) as the storm draws closer.

A hurricane warning was issued for Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Martin, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten and St. Barts.

“We’re looking at Irma as a very significant event,” Ronald Jackson, executive director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, said by phone. “I can’t recall a tropical cone developing that rapidly into a major hurricane prior to arriving in the central Caribbean.”

Irma is expected to strengthen in the next couple of days, and its centre is forecast to move near or over the northern Leeward Islands on Tuesday night and early Wednesday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

A hurricane watch was in effect for Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, the British and U.S. Virgin islands and Guadeloupe. A tropical storm watch was issued for Dominica.

U.S. residents were urged to monitor the storm’s progress in case it turns northward toward Florida, Georgia or the Carolinas.

“This hurricane has the potential to be a major event for the East Coast. It also has the potential to significantly strain FEMA and other governmental resources occurring so quickly on the heels of Harvey,” Evan Myers, chief operating officer of AccuWeather, said in a statement.

In the Caribbean, Antigua and Anguilla shuttered schools on Monday, and government office closures were expected to follow.

On the tiny island of Barbuda, hotel manager Andrea Christian closed down the Palm Tree Guest House as Irma approached. She said she was not afraid even though it would be her first time facing a storm of that magnitude.

“We can’t do anything about it,” Christian said by phone, adding that she had stocked up on food and water. “We just have to wait it out.”

The U.S. hurricane centre said Irma had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph) Monday afternoon. The storm was centred about 530 miles (850 kilometres) east of the Leeward Islands and was moving west-southwest at 14 mph (22 kph).

Both Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands expect to receive 4 inches to 8 inches (10-20 centimetres) of rain and winds of 40-50 mph with gusts of up to 60 mph.

“It’s no secret that the infrastructure of the Puerto Rico Power Authority is deteriorated,” Rossello said. He activated the National Guard, cancelled classes for Tuesday and declared a half-day of work.

Meteorologist Roberto Garcia warned that Puerto Rico could experience hurricane-like conditions in the next 48 hours.

“Any deviation, which is still possible, could bring even more severe conditions to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands,” Garcia said.

The U.S. Virgin Islands said schools would reopen on Friday instead of Tuesday.

In the Dominican Republic, Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo said workers there were also clearing away roadworks and cleaning out sewer drains and that President Danilo Medina would meet with emergency agencies.

Associated Press writer Ezequiel Abiu Lopez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, contributed to this report. </s> The latest Hurricane Maria update indicates the storm has reached Category 5 hurricane status, with the path giving the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico cause for concern. Warnings of possible “catastrophic damage” have been issued ahead of the storm hitting these areas. This comes after Hurricane Irma recently wreaked havoc in these areas as well as parts of Florida and nearby areas. Here are the latest details on where Hurricane Maria’s path is, as well as what areas are going to potentially experience major issues with regards to the storm.

On Tuesday, the Weather Channel reported that Hurricane Maria is “closing in” towards Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. On Monday evening, the storm hit Dominica, making for the island’s first-ever recorded Category 5 landfall there. A report from the U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter mission earlier today confirmed Maria remains at Category 5 status. The center of the storm was said to be 150 miles southeast of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands and moving west-northwest at 10 miles per hour. Expectations were also that the storm would reach Puerto Rico within the next 24 hours, but as far as hitting parts of the United States, it’s too early for forecasters to determine.

In San Juan, Puerto Rico, residents are already being warned about the possible “catastrophic damage” of Hurricane Maria from the storms severe winds. It’s also being said it could cause “devastating to catastrophic flooding” due to rainfall flooding. The National Weather Service issued a full hurricane statement for the areas of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It’s being said that “time is running out” for residents of these areas to prepare and with such limited time they should be “rushing” their preparations ahead of this severe weather situation. The National Weather Service also mentioned that “locations may be uninhabitable for weeks or months” in the aforementioned areas.

The expectations are that tropical storm-force winds are going to hit the Virgin Islands fast and hurricane-force winds will arrive by Tuesday night. As of Wednesday morning, these hurricane-force winds will continue to wreak havoc with St. Croix the area that could be affected most at that time. The Virgin Islands could get 10 to 15 inches of rainfall and up to 20 inches locally.

Puerto Rico will also see tropical-force winds by Tuesday night. By early Wednesday they will be at hurricane-force and continued that way into Wednesday night. There could be as much as 12 to 18 inches of rainfall in the area, or as much as 25 inches in some spots by Thursday.

The Dominican Republic is more of a question mark as far as the storm path goes. If the eyewall of the storm changes direction just slightly it could mean intense winds stay away from the area. However, the north coast of Dominican Republic should still prepare for potential hurricane-force winds there as soon as Wednesday night.

So what about the United States? As of Tuesday, USA Today‘s AccuWeather senior meteorologist Rob Miller was saying Florida may avoid this particular storm. Hurricane Maria is arriving not long after parts of Florida were hit by Hurricane Irma. Miller is saying if Maria reaches the U.S. it won’t be until early next week, but it’s still too early to know what its path will be by then.

Miller indicated that the storm could be like another hurricane that was recently a possible danger for the United States but stayed away.

Right now, Jose is at Category 1 status with winds of 75 miles per hour hitting areas of the New England coast including Rhode Island and Massachusetts’ coastline. If the Hurricane Maria path is similar to Jose, it would be relieving news for residents of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, still recovering from the damage and destruction brought by Hurricane Irma. Still, U.S. residents should stay aware of any weather alerts for their area as the storm moves this coming week into next.

For those who want to keep a close eye on the path of Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Jose, there is a YouTube live stream video above (via the Washington Post) to track the storms as they continue Tuesday.

[Featured Image by NASA/NOAA GOES Project via Getty Images]
Puerto Rico is forecast to get an additional 4 inches (10 cm) to 8 inches (20 cm) of rain through Saturday, on top of the several feet of rain that has fallen on parts of the island. Caguas has received the most, 37.9 inches (96 cm). The NHC expects 8 inches (20 cm) to 16 inches (41 cm) rain for the Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, and Mayaguana in the southeast Bahamas.