Powerful Hurricane Dean has grown into one of the top 10 hurricanes on record. He continued to plow westward through the Caribbean late tonight headed directly for the Yucatan Peninsula. Here are some specifics:
LOCATION/MOVEMENT
The center of Hurricane Dean was located near latitude 18.4N, longitude 86.0W, which was about 150 miles east of Chetmual, Mexico and about 310 miles ESE of Campeche, Mexico. Movement was toward the west at 20 mph. This motion is expected to continue tonight and Tuesday. The eye of this powerhouse will make landfall along the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula very early Tuesday morning. Dean will cross the Yucatan Peninsula during the day Tuesday and slide off into the Bay of Campeche Tuesday night.
WINDS/PRESSURE
Highest sustained winds were near 160 mph with gusts to 195 mph. This makes Dean a potentially catastrophic hurricane. Little change is expected in the strength before it makes landfall on the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. He will weaken some as he crosses the Yucatan Peninsula, but he is expected to maintain hurricane strength throughout the next 24 hours. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles. The minimum central pressure as measured by the Air Force reconnaissance aircraft was 9.14mb or an incredibly low 26.99 inches.
WARNINGS
The Government of Mexico extended the Hurricane Warning westward from Ciudad de Carmen to Chilitepec. That means a Hurricane Warning is now in effect for the entire coastline of Belize, along the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, from the Belize, Mexico border northward to Cancun and along the west coast of the Yucatan Peninsula from south of Progresso southward to Chilitepec.
RAIN AMOUNTS/FLOODING
5 to 10 inches of rain over much of the area with maximum amounts up to 20 inches. This could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. Storm surge flooding 12 to 18 feet above normal tide levels is possible near and to the north of the point of landfall.
USA IMPACTS
We do not think there will be any. After getting out into the Bay of Campeche, the second landfall will be early Wednesday on the Mexican coast far south of the U.S. border. In fact, the trip across the Bay of Campeche will be over the extreme south part of that area.
SPOT REPORTS
At 10 o’clock tonight, Cancun was reporting thunderstorms with east wind gusting to 38 mph.
BUOY 42056/NW CARIBBEAN
Wind east 43 mph, gusts to 59 with 36-foot waves.
The next complete Advisory will be at 4:00 tomorrow morning with an intermediate Advisory around 1:00 a.m.
