Tropical Storm Maria strengthens, could turn into a hurricane

Tropical storm Maria moves with maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour and the National Hurricane Center (CNH) predicts that over the next two days, when it is closer to the Lesser Antilles, it will become a hurricane.

The meteorological center noted that the islands of Saint Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Barbados and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are under tropical storm warning, while Antigua, Barbuda, Saint Kittis, Nevis and Monserrrt are under hurricane warning.

Many of these islands have been hit by Hurricanes Irma and Jose in recent weeks, with dramatic cases such as that of Barbuda, devastated by more than 90 percent according to their authorities after Irma's passing.

The storm, which lies 1,000 kilometers southeast of the Lesser Antilles, is expected to take a turn northwest in the next few days. Under that path pattern, CNH meteorologists expect the cyclone system to approach the Lesser Antilles on Monday, possibly with hurricane characteristics.

From Sunday that group of islands could begin to perceive the effects of swells that would generate dangerous hangovers and marine currents, besides heavy rains one day later that would leave up to 304 millimeters in parts of the center and the south of this archipelago. Antigua, Barbuda, Saint Kitts, Nevis and Montserrat could see even the effects of cyclonic swells that will raise the water level to 1.5 meters above normal.

The formation of this storm adds to two other cyclones that are in the Atlantic. Shortly before, another cyclonic system with these characteristics was strengthened and turned today into tropical storm Lee, located southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, off the northeast coast of Africa, and without at the moment a threat to populated areas.