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New Storm Maria Becomes Hurricane As Jose Treks Toward New England

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. — While most of the East Coast is focusing on the New England-bound Hurricane Jose, there's yet another hurricane churning in the Atlantic Ocean.

A look at projected wind strengths for Hurricane Jose.

A look at projected wind strengths for Hurricane Jose.

Photo Credit: National Weather Service
Tropical Storm Maria, expected to become a hurricane on Sunday, is following a path in its early stages similar to Hurricane Irma.

Tropical Storm Maria, expected to become a hurricane on Sunday, is following a path in its early stages similar to Hurricane Irma.

Photo Credit: National Hurricane Center
The latest projected forecast path for Category 1 Jose, released Sunday morning by the National Hurricane Center.

The latest projected forecast path for Category 1 Jose, released Sunday morning by the National Hurricane Center.

Photo Credit: National Hurricane Center

Maria, which is about 430 miles southeast of the Lesser Antilles, was upgraded Sunday evening from a tropical storm to a hurricane. 

It is moving toward the Caribbean at 15 mph. In its early stages, Maria is following a path similar to that of Irma. 

Meanwhile, Category 1 Hurricane Jose, now churning about 400 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., has maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. It's expected to remain a hurricane through Monday night and then impact parts of the I-95 corridor in Connecticut and the rest of New York and New England on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

A Tropical Storm Watch was issued late Sunday afternoon for coastal Connecticut, including Fairfield County. Click here for the story at Daily Voice. 

Jose will then be a Tropical Storm when it impacts Connecticut. But the center of the storm is forecast to remain well out to sea, limiting its possible impact. For Fairfield County, the peak wind forecast calls for winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph. Winds of 39 to 57 mph are possible. 

The storm will also bring rain and flooding, especially in low-lying and coastal areas.   

"While Jose is currently forecast to remain offshore of the US coast from Virginia northward to New England, the large cyclone could cause some direct impacts to these areas and any deviation to the left of the NHC forecast track would increase the likelihood and magnitude of those impacts," said the National Hurricane Center.

Residents along the East Coast are being urged to monitor Jose by the National Hurricane Center. You can view the center's web page dedicated to Jose by clicking here.

You can access the National Hurricane Center's page on Maria here.

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