<P> Originating from a tropical wave , Maria became a tropical storm on September 16 , east of the Lesser Antilles . Highly favorable environmental conditions allowed the storm to undergo explosive intensification as it approached the island arc . The hurricane reached Category 5 strength on September 18 just before making landfall on Dominica , becoming the first Category 5 hurricane on record to strike the island . After weakening slightly due to crossing Dominica , Maria achieved its peak intensity over the eastern Caribbean with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph ( 280 km / h ) and a pressure of 908 mbar ( hPa ; 26.81 inHg ) , making it the tenth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record . On September 20 , an eyewall replacement cycle took place , weakening Maria to a high - end Category 4 hurricane by the time it struck Puerto Rico . Interaction with land further weakened the hurricane , though it regained some strength as it moved northeast of The Bahamas . Moving slowly to the north , Maria gradually degraded and weakened to a tropical storm on September 28 . Embedded in the westerlies , Maria accelerated toward the east and later east - northeast over the open Atlantic , becoming extratropical on September 30 and dissipating by October 3 . </P>
<P> Originating from a tropical wave , Maria became a tropical storm on September 16 , east of the Lesser Antilles . Highly favorable environmental conditions allowed the storm to undergo explosive intensification as it approached the island arc . The hurricane reached Category 5 strength on September 18 just before making landfall on Dominica , becoming the first Category 5 hurricane on record to strike the island . After weakening slightly due to crossing Dominica , Maria achieved its peak intensity over the eastern Caribbean with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph ( 280 km / h ) and a pressure of 908 mbar ( hPa ; 26.81 inHg ) , making it the tenth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record . On September 20 , an eyewall replacement cycle took place , weakening Maria to a high - end Category 4 hurricane by the time it struck Puerto Rico . Interaction with land further weakened the hurricane , though it regained some strength as it moved northeast of The Bahamas . Moving slowly to the north , Maria gradually degraded and weakened to a tropical storm on September 28 . Embedded in the westerlies , Maria accelerated toward the east and later east - northeast over the open Atlantic , becoming extratropical on September 30 and dissipating by October 3 . </P>
when did hurricane maria occur in puerto rico
when did hurricane maria occur in puerto rico
September 20
September 20