Maria expected to remain offshore of North Carolina, though direct impacts are still expected in coastal areas
Hurricane Maria is gradually weakening as it moves over cool waters, and is expected to remain offshore of the United States. As of 11:00 p.m. EDT Monday, Hurricane Maria was centered near 32.3°N 73.1°W, and was moving northward at about 7 mph. Maximum sustained winds were 70 knots (80 mph), with an estimated minimum pressure of 969 mb. The structure of Maria does not resemble a typical hurricane, as the convection is fairly shallow and nearly all of the hurricane force…