Maria swiftly grew into a hurricane Sunday, and forecasters said it was expected to become much stronger over the coming hours following a path that would take it near many of the islands wrecked by Hurricane Irma and then on toward Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Zayas’ benefit will take place Friday at the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Center, 4046 West Armitage, from 7 to 11 p.m.

Hurricane Maria is currently a Category 5 storm, that is expected to be a still-powerful Category 4 storm when it hits Puerto Rico. It’s being said that “time is running out” for residents of these areas to prepare and with such limited time they should be “rushing” their preparations ahead of this severe weather situation. Guadeloupe’s regional government tweeted a stern warning to residents Tuesday: “Don’t go out under any circumstances.”

After crossing St. Croix, Maria will head toward the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Tuesday night and Wednesday as “an extremely dangerous Category 4 or 5 hurricane,” the National Hurricane Center said. “A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves will raise water levels by as much as 7 to 11 feet above normal tide levels in the hurricane warning area near where the center of Maria moves across the Leeward Islands and the British Virgin Islands,” the National Hurricane Center said. The storm is expected to drop six inches to 12 inches of rain in the central and southern Leeward Islands with some spots getting as much as 20 inches. On Wednesday, Maria was expected to be near or over Puerto Rico, which was spared the full brunt of Irma, although much of the island had its power knocked out. While forecasters don’t anticipate Jose making landfall in the US, it’s still expected to cause “dangerous surf and rip currents” along the East Coast in the next few days, the hurricane center said.
Hurricane Maria reaches Category 5 as it threatens the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.