9/21/19 - Jose To Linger & Maria Should Miss The United States East Coast

Note: At times, our team will write in-depth discussions on the tropics or systems below. Always visit the "Current Storms" section for the latest advisories and tracking maps on active systems.

We’re still tracking Tropical Storm Jose and Hurricane Maria. Jose has now been a named storm for 16 days. That makes it the eighth longest named storm on record!


Tropical Storm Jose: Jose has stalledl off the New England coast. It is currently about 150 miles southeast of Nantucket, MA. Winds are expected to gust there and along the Massachusetts coast up to 40-50 mph through the weekend as the storm just sits offshore. There will be some showers at times, but the general theme are the clouds and breezy conditions in southeastern New England. The main impacts through early next week as Jose gradually weakens will be the beach erosion due to the significant waves of up to ten feet pounding the coast. Tropical Storm Warnings remain in place for: Woods Hole to Sagamore Beach, including Cape Cod, Block Island, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. The models have been trending towards the idea of Jose dissipating off the Northeast coast around Monday of next week. By then, we can finally say so long to Jose!

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Hurricane Maria: We know everyone wants to know about Maria because it is a major hurricane and there is a slight chance it impacts the U.S. East Coast.

Short-Term Forecast: Maria re-strengthened over the water northwest of the Dominican Republic. Also, the eye of Hurricane Maria has significantly expanded in size compared to the pinhole eye it used to have before making landfall on Puerto Rico.

Maria will continue to bring rain and wind gusts up to hurricane-force to the northern coast of the Dominican Republic through tonight. Then, it will begin to steer northward, moving just east of Turks and Caicos on tomorrow. The eastern islands of Turks and Caicos will likely deal with hurricane-force winds in excess of 74 mph. There is even the possibility these islands take a hit from the western eyewall of Maria. Both the Turks and Caicos islands and the southeastern Bahamian islands can expect up to twelve feet of storm surge with waves up to fifteen feet tall. Significant damage is unfortunately possible for Turks and Caicos again after they got destroyed by Hurricane Irma less than two weeks ago.

Long-Term Forecast: In the long-term after Maria moves north of Turks and Caicos, it’s time for the U.S. East Coast to monitor this storm. At this time, we are able to rule out direct impacts for Florida and South Carolina, but from North Carolina through Maine and even the Canadian Maritimes, there is the chance for impacts. Maria will track somewhere between the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Bermuda on Tuesday. Around this time is when there is a small amount of uncertainty. None of the operational models, such as the European or American, take Maria into the coast, although a few of its ensembles do. We’re leaning towards the idea of Maria staying far enough offshore for minimal impacts as it tracks out to sea due to a trough, which is what the large majority of models show. Again, monitor the storm but we are currently forecasting Maria to not make landfall on the United States.

Latest European ensemble model runs only shows a few tracks towards the Mid-Atlantic 

Latest European ensemble model runs only shows a few tracks towards the Mid-Atlantic 

Tropical Outlook: The National Hurricane Center currently states there will no new tropical cyclone development in the next 5 days.

We will have another update as conditions warrant on Hurricanes Jose and Maria. Thank you for using our service and application.


-- Jackson Dill, Hurricane Tracker Team 

9/20/17 - Latest Discussion on TS Jose & Hurricane Maria

Hurricane Maria has officially made landfall as a very strong, category 4 hurricane on Puerto Rico. There is no doubt there will be catastrophic damage on parts of the island. Meanwhile in New England, Tropical Storm Jose will brush the coast with some showers and strong winds. Nothing as nearly as bad as Maria.

Tropical Storm Jose:

Forecast: Jose has finally weakened into a tropical storm as it moves northeast, making its closest approach to southeastern New England. Jose will not make landfall, but will still bring showers to this portion of New England and wind gusts up to 50-60 mph on the islands of Massachusetts. This will likely cause some isolated-scattered  power outages in the area. As we track Jose into the weekend, it’s just going to linger around off the Northeast coast, gradually weakening with time and eventually becoming a post-tropical cyclone as the full effects of the cooler ocean water takes place. Rip currents and rough seas will continue for the next few days. 

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Hurricane Maria:


Short-Term Forecast: Hurricane Maria will continue to slam Puerto Rico as a major hurricane today as the storm moves northwest across the island. Rainfall totals will be as high as two feet, which will cause mudslides and may unfortunately take out some structures. Storm surge is also a concern on top of everything else with a general 6-9 feet of water level rise expected along the coast. Maria will emerge back over the Atlantic by this afternoon. Impacts will then begin for the Dominican Republic. Expect rain and strong wind--Gusts may reach hurricane-force, but thankfully the core will likely stay over the water. The Turks and Caicos and the southeastern Bahamian islands are up next for impacts from Maria Thursday night into Friday. This storm will still be a major hurricane, but weakening some. The current NHC track takes the center of Maria to the east of these islands, which is some good news because the northeastern quadrant of a hurricane is always contains the worst winds. However, these islands are in the cone so that means a direct landfall is still possible. If you are in the path of Maria, please rush all preparations to completion.

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Long-Range Forecast: In the long-term, the United States (North Carolina northward) will need to monitor Hurricane Maria. With a blocking high pressure over the Atlantic, steering these storms toward the U.S., this storm poses a risk to the Eastern Seaboard. At this time, we are leaning more towards an out-to-sea scenario, but the model guidance has shifted to the west and a bit closer to the U.S. There are different scenarios in which Maria may follow. If Jose dissipates or moves inland again, Maria may be pulled into the Northeast or Mid-Atlantic. If Jose continues to mill around off the coast, it will help to further weaken the ridge of high pressure, raising the chances that Maria would move safely out to sea. Please see our latest long range outlook below:

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Alert Levels:

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Tropical outlook: The remnants of Lee have a high chance of re-developing, but it will remain harmlessly out at sea. Finally, some model data is indicating that pressures may significantly lower in the western Caribbean in about 7-10 days, so of course we will be monitoring that part of the basin for development as we close out September.


We will have another update as conditions warrant on Hurricanes Jose and Maria. Thank you for using our service and application -- Jackson Dill, Hurricane Tracker Team