Maria continued to strengthen on Monday and the eye of the storm was expected to move through the Leeward Islands near the island of Dominica late Monday afternoon or evening.
“Maria is developing the dreaded pinhole eye,” the National Hurricane Center said.
The hurricane, which has maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, is then expected to move over the extreme northeastern Caribbean Sea Tuesday, and approach Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Wednesday, potentially as a Category 5 storm.
In preparation for more devastation, President Donald Trump on Monday approved an emergency declaration for the US Virgin Islands. The action enables the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts.
Hurricane warnings were in effect for several islands including Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Martinique, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands.
Tropical storm warnings were also issued for Antigua and Barbuda, Saba and St. Eustatius, St. Marteen, Anguilla, and St. Lucia.
The hurricane is also expected to make a direct landfall in Puerto Rico — which was largely spared by Irma — prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency and order residents to evacuate flood- and landslide-prone areas.
“Severe flooding is expected,” Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló said. “We are urging that if you are in a dangerous area don’t think it won’t happen. Experts have told you today that the margin of error is very slim here.”
The NHC warned of a dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves, raising water levels to six to nine feet in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
The hurricane is expected to produce six to 12 inches of rainfall in Puerto Rico with isolated maximum amounts of 25 inches.
Expected rainfall on other islands in the eye of the storm could cause “life-threatening flash floods and mudslides,” the NHC said.
