Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and Dominica before turning for the Dominican Republic early Thursday. While forecast models don’t show the storm impacting the U.S. East Coast, it’s not entirely ruled out yet.
Tracking models are considered most accurate for predicting storms three to five days out, but anything beyond that is trickier to predict, said CNN meteorologist Michael Guy. So far a five-day model shows Maria staying in the Atlantic off the East Coast of the U.S., but after that five-day mark, it’s unclear what exactly the storm will do.
If the eye will hit the East Coast is still a waiting game. Regardless of its exact path, the coast will be affected in some way. Thankfully the portion of the East Coast that will be affected with rain Mid-Atlantic from North Carolina to Massachusetts and other New England areas.
Impacts on Florida would include rough surf and riptides from Melbourne up through Jacksonville. Forecasters suggest staying tuned for any changes in Maria’s path as the storm nears.
The National Hurricane Center said Maria is a category three storm with winds of 115 mph. The hurricane is responsible for at least 14 deaths in Dominica and leaving Puerto Rico with no power.
It will move towards the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the southeastern Bahamas on Thursday night and Friday. Forecasters believe the storm will strengthen over the warm waters of the Islands creating a high risk of storm surges for the areas.
