Met officials have discontinued the tropical storm watch for St. Vincent and the Grenadines but continued persons living near rivers and seas to continue exercising caution.
“Persons near rivers, streams, and areas prone to flooding and land slippage, should take precautions.
Seas across SVG are expected to be 2.5-3 metres (8 ft-10ft), with northerly swells on western coasts; life-threatening surf and rip current are possible,” the Met Services said in a bulletin.
The high surf advisory and small craft warning remain in effect until 6 p.m. today.
Small craft operators are advised to remain in port; sea bathers and users of the sea are advised to stay out of the water.
At 8 a.m. Tuesday, the centre of Hurricane Maria was near 16.2 degrees north 62.8 degrees west or about 180 miles (290 km) north west of SVG and was moving away from the country.
Maximum sustained winds were near 160mph (260km/h) with higher gusts but some fluctuations in intensity are likely due to eye-wall replacements.
Minimum central pressure was 933 millibars or 27.58 inches.
The system was moving west-northwest near 9 mph (15 km/h) and this motion is expected to continue through Tuesday into Wednesday.
Feeder bands on the southern side of Hurricane Maria continue to generate pockets of moderate to heavy showers, periods of rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds across SVG.
Southerly wind flow of 20–35 mph (32-56km/h) with higher gusts can be expected. Further rainfall accumulations of 3-5 inches (75-125 mm) are possible, with higher amounts in mountainous areas, hence the extension of the flood warning.