Maria
2017 Atlantic Hurricane SeasonOverview
Hurricane Maria was a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane that devastated Dominica and Puerto Rico. It was the deadliest Atlantic hurricane since Hurricane Jeanne in 2004, causing an estimated 2,975 deaths in Puerto Rico alone. Maria was the 3rd-costliest tropical cyclone on record.
🧭 What This Means For You
💨 How dangerous was this wind?
Winds 157+ mph (252+ km/h). Catastrophic damage. A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse.
Compare: a typical car crash at 70 mph feels violent — imagine 175 mph sustained winds.
💰 What was the human cost?
To put this in perspective: $91.6B could fund thousands of rebuilding projects, or cover years of flood insurance premiums for an entire coastal county.
2975 people lost their lives — behind every number is a family, a home, and a community that had to rebuild.
✅ What you can do today
- Check your emergency kit — water, food, medicine, batteries
- Know your evacuation route and shelter locations
- Sign up for free alerts so you are never caught off guard
Storm Path
Storm Track Data
| Time (UTC) | Latitude | Longitude | Wind (mph) | Pressure (mb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-09-16 06:00 UTC | 12°N | 50°W | 35 | 1006 |
| 2017-09-17 06:00 UTC | 13°N | 54°W | 50 | 999 |
| 2017-09-18 06:00 UTC | 14.5°N | 58°W | 90 | 974 |
| 2017-09-19 00:00 UTC | 15.5°N | 60.5°W | 130 | 950 |
| 2017-09-19 06:00 UTC | 15.3°N | 61°W | 160 | 924 |
| 2017-09-20 00:00 UTC | 16°N | 62.5°W | 175 | 908 |
| 2017-09-20 06:00 UTC | 18°N | 65.5°W | 165 | 918 |
| 2017-09-20 12:00 UTC | 18.5°N | 67°W | 150 | 927 |
| 2017-09-21 06:00 UTC | 21°N | 70°W | 110 | 950 |
| 2017-09-23 06:00 UTC | 25°N | 73°W | 85 | 965 |
| 2017-09-26 06:00 UTC | 35°N | 72°W | 65 | 970 |
| 2017-09-28 06:00 UTC | 42°N | 62°W | 55 | 975 |
Data Source
Track data from NOAA National Hurricane Center. Last updated: 2017-10-02.