United States

Jose continues to track northeastward across the open waters of the western Atlantic. Tropical storm warnings remain in effect for Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Jose weakened to a tropical storm Tuesday evening and has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph as of early Wednesday morning. The tropical storm is centered about 200 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and is moving northeast at 8 mph. The storm is expected to gradually weaken through the rest of this week and eventually lose its tropical characteristics.

Jose is still a concern for southeastern New England and Atlantic Canada. The track of Jose will remain well offshore, with the center of circulation passing to the southeast of southern New England. The greatest impacts in the form of strong wind gusts and heavy rain will be felt across Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard through Wednesday.

Regardless of the exact storm track, dangerous surf and rip currents will impact Bermuda, the Eastern Seaboard and Atlantic Canada through much of this week. Waves in excess of 10 feet will occur over the next several days from the Outer Banks to New England.

Coastal flooding is also a major concern. Astronomical influences will push tide levels 1-2 feet above normal from the Outer Banks to New England through at least Wednesday. This will be exacerbated by wave action and strong onshore winds, the degree to which will determine the exact impacts that could prove severe. Beyond Wednesday, Jose will slow down and meander off the northeastern United States coast while weakening, but the impacts will lessen significantly.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Maria made landfall as an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane near Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, around 6:15 a.m. EDT, with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph. Maria remains a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds still of 145 mph with gusts of up to 180 mph as it tracks across Puerto Rico. Catastrophic wind damage is expected across Puerto Rico, as well as life-threatening flooding and mudslides with heavy rain. Some areas of the island may receive more than 12 inches of rain. Power outages will be expansive and will likely last for weeks. Travel will be halted by downed trees and debris. Any loose objects can easily become airborne and turn into dangerous projectiles. Irma cleanup efforts will be disrupted.

Major effects from Maria are also stretching into the Virgin Islands. Storm surges of 6-10 feet are expected from the southeast coast of Puerto Rico through the Virgin Islands. Wind gusts will approach 100 mph across the Virgin Island with several inches of rainfall. This will bring significant damage and life-threatening flooding to the Virgin Islands as well.

After battering Puerto Rico, Maria will skirt the northern coastline of Hispaniola into Wednesday night as a major hurricane (Category 4 or 5) and will deliver flooding rain, destructive winds well over 100 mph and mudslides. By this weekend, Maria may threaten the Bahamas, and all interests across the southeastern United States need to continue to monitor Maria as well.

Updated by AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sojda