Restrengthening Category 3 Hurricane Maria, Moves Towards Turks and Caicos

After blasting Puerto Rico, a less intense Hurricane Maria moved toward the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic that experienced heavy winds and rain from an approaching Hurricane Maria, that restrengthened to a category 3 and is making its now nearing the islands of Turks and Caicos, with the maximum sustained winds of 193 km per hour, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, NHS. 

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"Tropical storm conditions are beginning to spread over the Turks and Caicos Islands," the National Hurricane Center said in its latest update. 

Certain regions in Puerto Rico continue to experience rains after the Maria passing as the hurricane moves north west at a speed of 15 km per hour. 

"Maria's eye will continue to pass offshore of the northern coast of the Dominican Republic this evening, and then move near or just east of the Turks and Caicos Islands and southeastern Bahamas tonight and on Friday," the NHS added. 

The Puerto Rican islands of Culebra and Vieques, along with the Dominican Republic regions from Cabo Engano to Puerto Plata, Southeastern Bahamas, and the island of Turks and Caicos remain under the hurricane warning.

The warning has been lifted from the U.S and the British Virgin Islands, according to the latest update by the U.S. National Hurricane Center. 

The Dominican Republic has shuttered most of its ports ahead of the hurricane passing.

The local port authorities have issued "red alert" in areas of La Romana, Samana, Arroyo Barril, Puerto Plata and Manzanillo.   

 Any potential impact from Maria in the mainland U.S. would not be until early next week if it occurs at all, and the exact path the storm will take remains debated by meteorologists, with many refraining from predicting.

Tropical Storm Jose will remain well off the eastern U.S. coast but is forecast to produce a combination of coastal flooding, high surf, tropical-storm-force winds and rainfall, particularly southeastern New England.