Hurricane Maria (2017)

Basin

North Atlantic

Dates

September 16, 2017 to October 2, 2017

Peak strength

Category 5, 150 kt (173 mph)

Lowest pressure

908 mb (26.81 inHg)

Landfall

Yes

Accumulated cyclone energy

44.8

Tropical-storm-force wind reached

220 nmi (407 km, 253 mi) from the center at its widest

Hurricane-force wind reached

90 nmi (167 km, 104 mi) from the center at its widest

Eyewall radius at its peak

5 nmi (9 km, 6 mi)

Overall size

320 nmi (593 km, 368 mi) to the outermost closed isobar

Peak gust in the best track

185 kt (213 mph)

Fastest the center moved

35 kt (40 mph)

Identifier

AL152017

Radar at TJUA as it neared land, Sep 20, 10:15 UTC

The sources count different things and are not added together.

Landfall points the US agencies flagged in the best track. The nearest town is named from the site’s gazetteer, not from the report.

NOAA’s Storm Events database, the record National Weather Service offices compile months after a storm, as compiled May 2026.

Deaths

20 (20 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

0

Property damage

$18 billion

Crop damage

none recorded

Events recorded

53 in 2 reports from 2 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

41 flash flood, 11 hurricane (typhoon), 1 rip current.

From the Storm Events narratives, unedited.

Catastrophic flash flooding occurred along Rio Grande de Arecibo in the municipality of Utuado. Serious mudslides occurred across the municipality, were many bridges were totally destroyed, leaving most communities were isolated from getting food, gas and goods supplies. Three sisters were confirmed dead at San Miguel sector when a mudslide destroy their house.

Utuado, Puerto Rico · Flash Flood · Sep 20, 10:00 UTC

Heavy rain resulted in flash flooding across the municipality of Anasco. Rio Anasco and all its tributaries went out of its banks. Four people were confirmed dead due to the flooding waters associated with the river.

Anasco, Puerto Rico · Flash Flood · Sep 20, 16:53 UTC

Hurricane Maria, located far offshore, produced large swells, which resulted in strong rip currents. On September 23rd, the lifeguards at Wrightsville Beach reported 25 rip related rescues. The surf height peaked around 8 feet, per lifeguard reports.

Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina · Rip Current · Sep 23, 13:00 UTC

• Tropical Storm ArleneNorth Atlantic · 2017Tropical Storm55 kt · 986 mb
• Tropical Storm BretNorth Atlantic · 2017Tropical Storm45 kt · 1007 mb
• Tropical Storm CindyNorth Atlantic · 2017Tropical Storm50 kt · 991 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionNorth Atlantic · 2017Tropical Depression25 kt · 1009 mb
• Tropical Storm DonNorth Atlantic · 2017Tropical Storm45 kt · 1005 mb
• Tropical Storm EmilyNorth Atlantic · 2017Tropical Storm50 kt · 1001 mb
• Hurricane FranklinNorth Atlantic · 2017Cat 175 kt · 981 mb
• Hurricane GertNorth Atlantic · 2017Cat 295 kt · 962 mb
• Hurricane HarveyNorth Atlantic · 2017 · 107 deaths · $150 billionCat 4115 kt · 937 mb
• Unnamed tropical stormNorth Atlantic · 2017Tropical Storm40 kt · 1004 mb
• Hurricane IrmaNorth Atlantic · 2017 · 133 deaths · $77 billionCat 5155 kt · 914 mb
• Hurricane JoseNorth Atlantic · 2017Cat 4135 kt · 938 mb
• Hurricane KatiaNorth Atlantic · 2017Cat 290 kt · 972 mb
• Hurricane LeeNorth Atlantic · 2017Cat 3100 kt · 962 mb
• Hurricane NateNorth Atlantic · 2017Cat 180 kt · 981 mb
• Hurricane OpheliaNorth Atlantic · 2017Cat 3100 kt · 957 mb
• Tropical Storm PhilippeNorth Atlantic · 2017Tropical Storm35 kt · 1000 mb
• Tropical Storm RinaNorth Atlantic · 2017Tropical Storm50 kt · 991 mb

A best track is the record a warning agency settles on after the storm, not what it said at the time: position, maximum sustained wind and central pressure every six hours, revised against every observation that came in later. Category is the Saffir-Simpson scale, which runs from Category 1 at 64 kt to Category 5 at 137 kt and reads wind only, so it says nothing about surge or rain. Accumulated cyclone energy adds up the square of the wind through the storm's life, so it counts strength and duration together.

Storm history from NOAA NCEI’s International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS), which merges the official best track of every warning agency. Live storms, cones, watches and warnings from the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived radar from NOAA’s Level II archive.

• Tropical cyclone report, National Hurricane Center
• Every advisory and discussion NHC issued while it was live
• Best track as KMZ, National Hurricane Center
• Best track as a shapefile, National Hurricane Center
• Wikipedia article: Hurricane Maria