Hurricane Dean update

Here is a summary of the Hurricane DEAN Public Advisory, from the National Hurricane Center:

EYE OF POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE DEAN JUST A FEW HOURS FROM LANDFALL ALONG THE EAST COAST OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA...

AT 11 PM EDT...0300 UTC... THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO HAS EXTENDED THE HURRICANE WARNING WESTWARD FROM CIUDAD DE CARMEN TO CHILITEPEC. 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.

AT 1100 PM EDT...0300Z... THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DEAN WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 18.4 NORTH... LONGITUDE 86.0 WEST OR ABOUT 150 MILES... 245 KM...EAST OF CHETUMAL MEXICO AND ABOUT 310 MILES...500 KM... EAST-SOUTHEAST OF CAMPECHE MEXICO.

DEAN IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 20 MPH...32 KM/HR... AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK... THE EYE OF DEAN WILL MAKE LANDFALL ALONG THE EAST COAST OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA VERY EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. DEAN WILL CROSS THE YUCATAN PENINSULA DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY AND LIKELY REACH THE BAY OF CAMPECHE TUESDAY NIGHT.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 160 MPH...260 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. DEAN IS A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS EXPECTED PRIOR TO LANDFALL ON THE EAST COAST OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA. ALTHOUGH SOME WEAKENING IS FORECAST AS DEAN CROSSES THE YUCATAN PENINSULA... DEAN IS EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN HURRICANE STRENGTH THROUGHOUT THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES...95 KM...FROM THE CENTER... AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES...280 KM.

DEAN IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE STORM TOTAL RAINFALL OF 5 TO 10 INCHES OVER THE ISTHMUS OF TEHUANTEPEC AND YUCATAN PENINSULA OF MEXICO... BELIZE... GUATEMALA... AND NORTHERN HONDURAS... WITH MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 20 INCHES. THESE RAINS COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES.

STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 12 TO 18 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS IS POSSIBLE NEAR AND TO THE NORTH OF WHERE DEAN MAKES LANDFALL ALONG THE EAST COAST OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA.

For more information, visit the National Hurricane Center's website.

Tags: Guatemala, news, Hurricane, Dean, advisory