MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) -- The main focus in the tropical Atlantic scene is the major Category 5 Hurricane Maria. After passing over the island of Dominica early Tuesday, the potent system is moving to the west-northwest wind highest sustained winds of 165 mph around its center. It is forecast to possibly make a landfall in Puerto Rico Wednesday without much weakening beforehand. Beyond then, Maria is projected to remain in the western Atlantic, curving northwest and north, and paralleling the U.S. East Coast a few hundred miles offshore.
Hurricane Jose is closer to the Delmarva Peninsula, but is forecast to turn to the northeast, possibly avoiding direct contact with land. Gusty winds and higher surf are common along the northeast and the mid-Atlantic shorelines. Jose may diminish as a tropical system in the long-range outlook, but may encounter a weak steering flow, causing it to meander once again over the open Atlantic.
The former Tropical Storm Lee remains in the Atlantic as a disorganized mass of clouds with minimal chances for re-organization because of considerable upper-level wind flow near it.
A couple more tropical waves exist in the southern latitudes of the north Atlantic, but they do not exhibit signs of immediate strengthening.
