The US National Hurricane Centre has issued a warning that Hurricane Maria, due to hit the Caribbean today (September 18), is expected to become a major storm that could affect travel to the area for the next few days.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has issued a travel advisory for many parts of the Caribbean, saying the latest hurricane to rock the area is expected to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions. It has recommended British travellers follow the advice of local authorities, including evacuation orders, and to check the status of their flights before travelling.
The National Hurricane Centre says Maria is likely to affect portions of the Leeward Islands, bringing with it the risk of dangerous wind, storm surge and hazardous rainfall. Puerto Rico and the British and US Virgin Islands are also likely to be hit by severe weather by mid-week.
No warnings have been issued as of yet for the US, however travellers are advised to track the progress of Hurricane Maria prior to departure.
Maria is the third storm to affect the Caribbean in recent weeks, with Hurricane Irma causing widespread destruction across the islands and Florida last week. The clean-up effort following Irma is still disrupting travel to the area. Hurricane Jose is also still wreaking havoc on the east coast of the US.