Originating from a tropical wave, Maria became a tropical storm on September 16, east of the Lesser Antilles. Remarkably favorable environmental conditions allowed the storm to undergo explosive intensification as it approached the island arc. The hurricane reached Category 5 strength on September 18 upon making landfall on Dominica, producing extreme winds across the entire island. Afterwards, Maria achieved its peak intensity over the eastern Caribbean with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km / h) and a pressure of 908 mbar (hPa; 26.81 inHg), making it the tenth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record. Weakening slightly, but retaining its ferocious winds, Maria struck Puerto Rico as a high - end Category 4 hurricane on September 20. Interaction with land weakened the hurricane, though it regained some strength as it moved northeast of the Bahamas. Moving slowly to the north, Maria gradually degraded and weakened to a tropical storm on September 28. Embedded in the westerlies, Maria accelerated toward the east and later east - northeast over the open Atlantic, becoming extratropical on September 30 and dissipating by October 3.
when did hurricane marie a hit puerto rico
Remarkably favorable environmental conditions allowed the storm to undergo explosive intensification as it approached the island arc.