Hurricane Maria Path, Track News: Category 3 Storm Moving Away From Bahamas
Category 3 storm Hurricane Maria has moved east of the Bahamas on late Friday. Maintaining maximum winds of 125 mph, the storm is expected to pass northeast and east of the Bahamas on Sunday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
"Dangerous Hurricane Maria forecast to move northward over the western Atlantic waters," the NHC said in a statement.
The latest forecast from NHC states tracked Maria about 420 miles east-southeast of Nassau. It is now moving north-northwest at 9 mph. The Category 3 storm should gradually make a turn northwards starting on Saturday. The intensity of the storm, however, is not expected to change on Saturday but it should weaken beginning on Sunday.
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The Turks and Caicos islands, the southeastern Bahamas, and the central Bahamas are still under tropical storm warnings. The tropical storm conditions should be felt in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas over the next several hours and should subside on Saturday. Portions of the central Bahamas, on the other hand, should continue to experience the said conditions on Saturday.
"High swells are expected to increase along portions of the southeast United States coast," the NHC warned.
The high swells generated by the storm are still felt in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the northern coast of Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Bahamas. Such swells are expected to be felt along the southeastern U.S. coast and Bermuda tonight and should continue on Saturday.
The NHC also noted that as the storm gradually moves away from the southeastern Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos islands, the water levels should begin to subside.
As for the rainfall, it should gradually diminish at these areas as Maria continues to move north of these islands.
The next intermediate advisory should be issued by NHC at 2 a.m. EDT while the next complete advisory should be posted at 5 a.m. EDT.
