(TVR) – The eye of Hurricane Maria, an “extremely dangerous” category four storm, made landfall in Puerto Rico Wednesday morning as the strongest storm to hit the island since 1928, after lashing St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, another American territory popular with tourists that sustained a devastating blow from Hurricane Irma earlier this month.

Maria came ashore near Yabucoa, PR; once it passes the island, the hurricane is expected to turn northward and could threaten the U.S. mainland.

Hurricane warnings were in effect for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, even as the storm weakened slightly from its “potentially catastrophic” category five status.

Maria just devastated Dominica, whose prime minister said of the island, “We have lost all what money can buy and replace.”

Maximum sustained winds are now near 155 mph, with higher gusts, and tropical-storm-force winds extending outward 150 miles.

The National Weather Service (NWS) warned, “A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves will raise water levels by as much as 7 to 11 feet above normal tide levels in the hurricane warning area.”

Many Caribbean islands had breathed a short-lived sigh of relief after they escaped the wrath of Hurricane Jose, which had been a category four hurricane as it roared north of Puerto Rico.

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 Airlines Cap Fares, Waive Fees

Some airlines have begun to issue travel waivers for fee-free changes and are capping fares, a practice they began as Hurricane Irma approached Florida.

U.S. senators have asked for an investigation into allegations of airfare price gouging and a newly-introduced bill would implement price caps during disasters.

Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines all said they would cap non-stop, economy fares for cities in Maria’s path to aid evacuees.

Delta said it would not charge more than $199 in its Main Cabin, and also waived baggage fees and pet-in-cabin fees, as well as doubled its flights to San Juan, Puerto Rico, for passengers who wished to leave the island ahead of the storm.

American Airlines, which has a major presence in the Caribbean, has issued a waiver for 13 airports, including those in U.S. territories.

JetBlue’s waiver covers 15 airports in the area.

Delta Air Lines has a waiver for San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (STT), among seven total Caribbean destinations.

The waiver from United Airlines covers seven airports.

Southwest Airlines’ waiver lists two airports, as does the waiver from Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines.

WestJet lists many of the airports it serves in the Caribbean.

Maria is 13th Storm of ‘Above-Normal’ Year

Maria is the 13th named storm of the already “above-normal” 2017 hurricane season, and the third major hurricane of the year.

The NWS is warning that Maria could dump up to 20 inches of rain through Wednesday night.

In addition, forecasters predict that with “warm waters and weak shear anticipated along the
projected track of Maria, additional strengthening is forecast.”

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‘Above-Normal’ Hurricane Season Predicted

NOAA has predicted the 2017 hurricane season will be “above-normal” this year, with far-reaching implications for airlines, cruise ships, and travelers in North America.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updated its hurricane forecast to increase the number of named storms and major hurricanes it expects, as well as predicting a “higher likelihood” of an above-normal season.

In fact, the hurricane season that began June 1st and lasts until the end of November could be “the most active since 2010,” NOAA said in its forecast.

“This season has had a running start,” Ben Friedman, NOAA’s acting administrators, told reporters this month.

“We’re now entering the peak of the season when the bulk of the storms usually form,” added Dr. Gerry Bell, the lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at the Climate Prediction Center.

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That’s the total number of storms in an entire average season, NOAA said.

Four of the storms hit the United States, with Maria possibly the fifth to do so.

“As we enter the height of hurricane season, it’s important for everyone to know who issues evacuation orders in their community, heed the warnings, update their insurance and have a preparedness plan,” said FEMA Administrator Brock Long in a statement.

Before Harvey struck, a major hurricane with sustained winds of 111 mpg and higher had not made landfall in the U.S. in 12 years, not since Hurricane Wilma in 2005, CNN reported.

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