TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The National Hurricane Center says the eye of potentially catastrophic Category 5 Hurricane Maria is nearing St. Croix as of 11 p.m. Tuesday night.

“The forecast track is well east of the state of Florida and the cone of error is as well,” said Storm Team 8 Chief Meteorologist Steve Jerve. “The effects would be largely some higher seas on the east coast of Florida and potentially some stronger wind gusts there but overall, at this point, the effects to Florida look to be minimal.”

Maria is expected to pass near the U.S. Virgin Islands Tuesday night and over Puerto Rico on Wednesday. The core of the hurricane is expected to reach Puerto Rico Wednesday morning.

As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, Maria is about 30 miles southeast of St. Croix and 120 miles southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Wind speeds remain at 175 mph.

“The eye [of the storm] has rapidly intensified over the last 48 hours or so and it’s barreling toward the U.S. Virgin Islands,” said Storm Team 8 Meteorologist Julie Phillips.

The National Hurricane Center is describing Maria as “potentially catastrophic” as the hurricane moves across the northeastern Caribbean headed to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

“It continues to move to the west-northwest,” Chief Meteorologist Jerve added. “You can see that’s the case, there’s a very clearly defined eye. That’s always an indication – a very small, well-defined eye – of a very small and intense hurricane. And that’s what we’re seeing with this.”

Hurricane Maria pounded the small island of Dominica with catastrophic winds overnight, charging into the eastern Caribbean on a course that threatens islands already devastated by Hurricane Irma.

Fierce winds and rain lashed mountainous Dominica for hours as Maria tore roofs from homes as an extremely dangerous Category 5 storm.

Here’s a summary of watches and warnings in effect for Hurricane Maria

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for:

  • U.S. Virgin Islands
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Puerto Rico, Culebra, and Vieques
  • Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to Puerto Plata

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:

  • Saba and St. Eustatius
  • St. Maarten
  • Anguilla
  • Dominican Republic west of Puerto Plata to the northern border of the Dominican

    Republic and Haiti

  • Dominican Republic west of Cabo Engano to Punta Palenque
  • Guadeloupe

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for:

  • Saba and St. Eustatius
  • St. Maarten
  • St. Martin and St. Barthelemy
  • Anguilla
  • Isla Saona to Puerto Plata
  • Turks and Caicos Islands and the Southeastern Bahamas

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