ZCZC MIATCUAT5 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM Hurricane Maria Tropical Cyclone Update NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL152017 700 PM AST Tue Sep 19 2017 ...700 PM AST POSITION AND INTENSITY UPDATE... ...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE MARIA STILL STRENGTHENING... Reports just received from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that the maximum sustained winds have increased to 175 mph (280 km/h). The estimated minimum pressure based on data from the aircraft is 909 mb (26.84). A wind gust to 63 mph (102 km/h) was recently reported in the eastern portion of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. SUMMARY OF 700 PM AST...2300 UTC...INFORMATION --------------------------------------------------- LOCATION...16.9N 64.1W ABOUT 70 MI...115 KM SE OF ST. CROIX ABOUT 165 MI...270 KM SE OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...175 MPH...280 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 300 DEGREES AT 10 MPH...17 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...909 MB...26.84 INCHES $$ Forecaster Brown NNNN