Because it moved over the mountains of puerto rico. The eye is leaving the island. Its moving to the north and northwest. Still affecting the island of hurricaneforce and Tropical Stormforce winds. Its not as large as irma was but its the tenth most intense for the atlantic on record. A central pressure of 906 millibars last night. Looking closer, you see the eye diminishing as it passes to the southwest of st. Croix. Right over the central portion of puerto rico. And now out off to the north and west of puerto rico. So lets go ahead and look at where this is headed now. It has its eyes on the turks and caicos and bahamas. This is going to restrengthen. It looks like the eye it trying to reform. Its expected to be a category 4 as it approaches the turks and ca caicos. Then out into the atlantic. It will be a 4. Its not expected to come near florida. It will diminish to a 3 and then a 2 and sail north right along the east coast but staying offshore. Thats the expected track. Lets watch
This storm is smaller in size but its based on the central pressure. I have to tell you it was st. Croix and the islands around and puerto rico itself that bore the brunt of this huge storm. Look at the eye. It falls apart as it moves across the mountains. On the other side of puerto rico there it is. The eye is trying to reform. That means this storm is trying to restrengthen. Lets look at maria. It will be expected to restrengthen to 130 to 156mileanhour winds. Its headed toward the turks and caicos. It will graze the northern side of the Dominican Republic and then north along the eastern coast of the u. S. And it is the tenth most intense atlantic hurricane on record with a minimum pressure of 906 millibars, 175mileanhour winds. That was last night. This was an incredible storm. When we come back in a little while well take a closer look at where the track of maria will go. Back to you, jacqueline. Local families are on edge as they watch the storm pound puerto rico. Commu communic
500 shelters open but the governor warning that the daner is not over. We have not experienced an event of this magnitude in our modern history. Officials are bracing for storm surge of up to feet in puerto rico and the u. S. Virgin islands and in some areas two feet of rain. This as authorities in the caribbean begin to assess the damage done there. The deafstration in dominica dangerous and no electricity or running water. And the death toll so far stands at nine but puerto rico officials tell us there are no reports of fatalities however they are concerned about what happens next and that is flooding than is what kills people. They are asking people not to leave their homes until they are told it is safe to do so. Channel 6 action news. Thank you. Maria of course remains a monster hurricane even as it move as way from puerto rico, the big question now is where does it go next . Meteorologist, adam joseph is joining us now. The eye is back over open waters and will be open waters for
About their loved ones stuck in this storm. Reporter that is right brian. Before this well thing is over at least a foot of rainfall will be dumped on puerto rico and that is after this hurricane devastated other smaller islands including dominica. Melissa is from allentown but attending medical school on the island of dominica. And the last time she spoke with her daughter was monday night a short time before the storm made landfall. Now that she is out of the way she is stressful not knowing what the situation it like. Nor is she safe or any of the kids safe . Of course Hurricane Maria set its sights on puerto rico. And Police Captain Javier Rodriguez says a huge portion of his family is there and after seeing what it did to small islands in the caribbean he is terrified. Some pueblos are condensed and you dont know what the damage will cause once the rivers start to overflow and how long it will be before the roads become impassable. Council woman sanchez who also as family on the i
, going to be very hard. Reporter evacuees at this help tell had to move down stores in the lobby, and then an emergency stairwell. Powers out across the island and there is no timetable forgetting lights back on. Maria have been final blow to the power companys already crumbling infrastructure. We are getting our first look at island of dominica1 of the first stops in the caribbean. The storm turned deadly there and knock out communications the to entire island. People are cleaning up on the island of quadloop where maria also claim lives and damaged home. David begnoit, cbs news, san juan, puerto rico. Cnn reporter got a firsthand look at marias fewer that is storm came a shower in san juan. Reporter take a look around me, you can see limbs, trees that have come down, parts of the roofs, that have come down, and i want to take you up a little bit so you can see these palm trees that are being stripped of their leaves and so far death toll from maria is at nine, for across the caribbe