Hurricane Maria To Pound Virginia Coast With Storm Surge

Hurricane Maria is about to hammer the Outer Banks of North Carolina up to the Hampton Roads area in Virginia on Tuesday, sending a strong storm surge even as it weakens to a Category 1 hurricane.

Fortunately, full landfall doesn't appear likely, as the National Hurricane Center projects Maria to weaken to a tropical storm soon and then dramatically shift direction and head east out to sea, dragging the approaching Hurricane Lee with it.

Maria will linger off the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia until Thursday morning, when it will make its shift out to sea. Until then, surf in the Hampton Roads area will continue to be rough and dangerous.

A tropical storm watch was issued this weekend for the North Carolina and Virginia coasts. Officials ordered visitors on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands to evacuate.

Maria's winds have declined to 75 miles per hour sustained, which is just barely enough to keep it a hurricane. However, it is expected to weaken to a tropical storm very soon now that it has moved out of the warmer waters of the Caribbean.

Hurricane Maria (Cat1) will brush North Carolina coast & Virginia Tidewater. Flooding and large swells, risk of 4ft storm surge @5_news pic.twitter.com/ff2hRNANmG
— Clare Nasir (@clarenasir) September 26, 2017

The Coast Guard issued a warning to boaters to "use caution and protect themselves" as Hurricane Maria approaches.

"High seas, heavy rains and damaging winds could present serious danger to boaters out on the water," the statement reads. "Beachgoers should be aware of rip currents and treacherous surf conditions. Adverse weather effects can cover an area hundreds of miles wide. Even people who are outside the direct path of the storm are advised to be aware of weather conditions and take appropriate precautions to stay safe and minimize damage."

Meanwhile, Puerto Rico is still struggling to recover from the damage wrought by Maria, which struck the island as a devastating Category 5 storm.

Officials have described the damage as "apocalyptic," and the storm knocked out the island's entire power grid. Authorities are pleading with Congress and President Trump to move more quickly to provide aid to the U.S. commonwealth.

Image via NOAA