MIAMI _ Tropical Storm Maria, expected by forecasters to become a hurricane, is expected to cross the Leeward Islands Monday.
Hurricane advisories were extended across Caribbean islands battered by Hurricane Irma as Maria approaches, National Hurricane Center forecasters said Sunday. By midweek, the storm could near the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico as a major hurricane.
Maria will likely continue heading to the west-northwest for the next four days but should slow, which may spare some of the islands from the storm's fiercest winds.
It's too soon to tell how Maria might affect Florida or other parts of the Southeast. Early models show the storm moving toward Florida and up the East Coast, but forecasts so far in advance can be hundreds of miles off.
As it nears the coast, Hurricane Jose, now about 355 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras and headed toward New England, could be a factor in where Maria goes. If Jose weakens the ridge steering the storm, it could allow Maria to take a track more to the northwest or north-northwest. If not, the storm will likely keep heading to the west-northwest.
Sunday morning, Jose strengthened slightly, but forecasters say it will likely weaken in the coming days as it faces stronger wind shear, and then moves over colder water. They expect it to weaken again to a tropical storm in three to four days.
