MIAMI — 11 p.m. Wednesday update:
Hurricane Maria is moving away from Puerto Rico but torrential rains continue.
Weather conditions continue to deteriorate over eastern Dominican Republic and will conditions will get worse in the Turk and Caicos islands.
Maria is moving at 9 mph with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph.
8 p.m. Wednesday update:
Hurricane Maria is still a Category 2 storm and is bringing heavy rains to the Dominican Republic as it gradually moves away from Puerto Rico, which is still getting heavy heavy rain as well.
The storm is moving at 12 mph with maximum sustained winds at 110 mph.
Although Maria weakened to a Category 2 storm, it has the potential to again become a major hurricane by Thursday.
5 p.m. Wednesday update:
Winds have dropped to maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
There have been reports of catastrophic flooding in Puerto Rico and conditions are now deteriorating over eastern Dominican Republic, the NHC said.
Hurricane Maria will not pose a threat to Florida, according to our certified team of meteorologists.
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2 p.m. Wednesday update:
Winds continue to weaken with maximum sustained winds at 115 mph as it moves just offshore the northwest coast of Puerto Rico. The island is 100 percent without power, according to officials.
Hurricane Maria will not pose a threat to Florida, according to our certified team of meteorologists.
11 a.m. Wednesday update:
Winds have weakened to 140 mph with Hurricane Maria still a Category 4. The eye of the hurricane is near the northern coast of Puerto Rico.
Life-threatening flooding will remain and issue, as well as tropical storm conditions as Maria moves out of Puerto Rico.
Hurricane Maria will not pose a threat to Florida, according to our certified team of meteorologists.
8 a.m. Wednesday update:
The eye of Hurricane Maria is moving over eastern Puerto Rico with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
The Category 4 storm, which continues to move northwest at 10 mph, is centered about 15 miles south-southwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, the NHC said.
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Watch video below of Hurricane Maria hitting San Juan:
[ Read: Hurricane Maria: Central Floridians fear for relatives’ safety ]
Channel 9 meteorologist Rusty McCranie said the storm isn't expected to weaken much as it moves across the island, and it's forecast to stay away from Florida.
Dominica's prime minister said Wednesday that there have been at least seven storm-related deaths on the Caribbean island.
[ Read: Duke Energy, FPL customers could foot bill for Irma repairs ]
[ Read: Poinciana family stranded on Puerto Rico as Maria hits island ]
There were at least two storm-related deaths on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, bringing the region's total death toll to nine.
Officials on the mountainous island said the country has lost power and has minimal communications. They said that there was a tremendous loss of housing and public buildings.
[ Read: Eye on the Tropics section ]
6:45 a.m. Wednesday update:
Hurricane Maria has made landfall in Puerto Rico.
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[ Read: Eye on the Tropics section ]
5 a.m. Wednesday update:
Hurricane Maria is closing in on Puerto Rico as a dangerous Category 4 storm, producing maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said early Wednesday.
The hurricane, which is moving northwest at 10 mph, is centered about 50 miles southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It's expected to maintain its intensity until it makes landfall.
Maria threatens to decimate the local power company's crumbling infrastructure and to force the government to rebuild dozens of communities.
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[ Read: Eye on the Tropics section ]
Channel 9 certified meteorologist Brian Shields said the storm will have a disastrous effect on the island.
"Maria is making direct landfall in Puerto Rico," Shields said. "The impacts will be devastating."
The hurricane is forecast to move over the southeastern Bahamas Thursday and Friday before turning north, Shields said.
[ Read: Hurricane Irma: How to recover lost wages after the storm ]
[ Read: Poinciana family stranded in Puerto Rico as Maria nears island ]
"Maria will stay far away from Florida," Shields said. "The overall steering currents are far different from Irma."
The storm is expected to be 500 miles from Florida this weekend, Shields said.
Two people died Tuesday on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe -- one was killed by a falling tree, the other "fell into the sea," officials said.
[ Read: Duke Energy, FPL customers could foot bill for Irma repairs ]
Two people were also reported missing after a shipwreck near the island of La Désirade, Guadeloupean officials said.
[ Read more stories about Maria, Irma on the Eye on the Tropics section. ]
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
[ Read: Hurricane Maria: Central Floridians fear for relatives’ safety ]