| Category 5 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
 Hurricane Maria near peak intensity to the southeast ofPuerto Rico on September 19 | |
| Formed | September 16, 2017 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | October 2, 2017 |
| (Extratropical after September 30) | |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained:175 mph (280 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 908mbar (hPa); 26.81inHg |
| Fatalities | 3,059 total |
| Damage | $91.61 billion (2017USD) (Third-costliesttropical cyclone on record; costliest inPuerto Rican history) |
| Areas affected | Lesser Antilles(especiallyDominica and theU.S. Virgin Islands),Puerto Rico,Dominican Republic,Haiti,Turks and Caicos Islands,The Bahamas,Southeastern United States,Mid-Atlantic states |
| Part of the2017 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Maria was ahurricane of notable status that began in theAtlantic Ocean. It was part of the2017 Atlantic hurricane season. The most intense tropical cyclone worldwide in 2017. Maria was the 13thnamed storm and 8thhurricane of the season.
Originated from easterly waves off the west coast of Africa. Maria became atropical storm east of theLesser Antilles on September 16 and quickly intensified to Category 5 before makinglandfall inDominica on September 18.
TheWorld Meteorological Organization retired the Maria name in April 2018, replacing it with Margot for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, due to the large number of deaths and destruction inPuerto Rico.
On September 12, originated from atropical wave that left the west coast ofAfrica. It then began to develop and become more organized moving westward.[1] On September 16, it became atropical depression and was 580 miles (930 km) east ofBarbados. The storm quickly became more tropical. It became atropical storm the same day in 84°F (29°C) waters, in favorable conditions of the 80 °F (26.5 °C) that tropical storms usually require.[1]
After becoming a tropical storm, it had aneye, a clear opening at the center of the storm. 6 hours later since becoming a tropical storm, theNational Hurricane Center (NHC) named it Tropical Storm Maria.[2] On September 17, Maria turned to move west-northwest and quickly becomes a Category 1 hurricane. In just 12 hours, it became a Category 5 hurricane with maximum winds of 160mph (260km/h)[3] on September 18.
"Reports from an Air Force ReserveHurricane Hunter aircraft indicatethat Maria is undergoing rapid intensification".[4]
— NHC weather forecaster
On the evening of September 19, Maria landed inDominica and other islands in theLesser Antilles.[5] Continues to move west-northwestward and into the northeasternCaribbean Sea.[1] Maria weakened slightly to a Category 4 hurricane due to land interaction with Dominica, but soon re-strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane, reaching peak intensity with winds of 175 mph (280 km/h).[6]
Maria madelandfall inPuerto Rico on September 20, and the eye of the wind increased significantly before making landfall on the island, resulting in a slightly weakened Category 4 hurricane with maximum winds of 155mph (250km/h)[7]
On September 22, Hurricane Maria began to weaken because aswind shear began to erode it.[8] Continues to move north-northwest and the northeast of theTurks and Caicos Islands with maximum winds of 126mph (203km/h).[1]
On September 25, Maria continues to weaken as it moves along thesoutheast coast of the United States.[9]
On September 27, Maria weakened to Category 1 with maximum winds of 75mph (120km/h), its center moved onto the coast of North Carolina, a few miles southeast ofCape Hatteras,[1] weakened to a tropical storm the following day.[10] Finally, Maria moved rapidly east-northwestward as anextratropical cyclone on September 30, then dissipated in the NorthAtlantic Ocean 3 days later.[1]
On the morning of September 16, theNational Hurricane Center issued its first warning that the system would become Tropical Storm Maria. Following the warnings, the government of France, Saint Lucia, and Barbados prepared for the storm.[11]
