diff --git a/use_cases/Hurricane_Matthew/Visualization/map_funcs.py b/use_cases/Hurricane_Matthew/Visualization/map_funcs.py
index c74d6e4..70e9e76 100644
--- a/use_cases/Hurricane_Matthew/Visualization/map_funcs.py
+++ b/use_cases/Hurricane_Matthew/Visualization/map_funcs.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 """
 
 import sys
+import os
 import numpy as np
 import datetime as dt
 import wrf
@@ -517,6 +518,9 @@ def map_plot(opts):
     if lg_text is not None:
         ax.legend(loc=lg_loc, fontsize=lg_fontsize).set_zorder(15)
 
+    # create output directory if it does not already exist
+    os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(fname), exist_ok=True)
+
     # Save and close the figure
     plt.savefig(fname)
-    plt.close()
\ No newline at end of file
+    plt.close()