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Posted on 08/20/2007 8:12:21 AM PDT by NautiNurse
Extremely dangerous Hurricane Dean is steaming toward the Yucatan Peninsula today, packing winds over 150 mph. The Hurricane Hunter aircraft aborted its mission Monday morning due to equipment problems. The storm is expected to attain catastrophic Category 5 status today. The Cayman Islands have been spared the brunt of the storm's winds as Dean passed 125 miles south of Grand Cayman.
Jamaica continues to assess damage to its infrastructure after Dean uprooted trees, knocked down power lines, stripped off roofs, and dumped up to 20 inches of rain, causing mudslides in the mountains. The government of Jamaica has declared a month-long state of emergency. Haiti has reported four fatalities. The Dominican Republic reported a 20ft storm surge. Martinique lost its banana crops. Additional details are scarce at this point due to extensive power outages.
Alcoa suspended aluminum production in Jamaica. Mexico evacuated thousands of workers from oil platforms. Texas mobilized the National Guard, opened emergency operations centers and moved inmates inland from three prisons in advance of the storm.
Space shuttle Endeavour is returning home Tuesday, a day early due to Hurricane Dean.
In other storm news, the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin caused massive rains and flooding in Oklahoma Sunday. Two people have drowned, and three are reported missing at this time.
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Hurricane Dean Thread II
Hurricane Dean Thread I
Category | Wind Speed | Barometric Pressure | Storm Surge | Damage Potential |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tropical Depression |
< 39 mph < 34 kts |
Minimal | ||
Tropical Storm |
39 - 73 mph 34 - 63 kts |
Minimal | ||
Hurricane 1 (Weak) |
74 - 95 mph 64 - 82 kts |
28.94" or more 980.02 mb or more |
4.0' - 5.0' 1.2 m - 1.5 m |
Minimal damage to vegetation |
Hurricane 2 (Moderate) |
96 - 110 mph 83 - 95 kts |
28.50" - 28.93" 965.12 mb - 979.68 mb |
6.0' - 8.0' 1.8 m - 2.4 m |
Moderate damage to houses |
Hurricane 3 (Strong) |
111 - 130 mph 96 - 112 kts |
27.91" - 28.49" 945.14 mb - 964.78 mb |
9.0' - 12.0' 2.7 m - 3.7 m |
Extensive damage to small buildings |
Hurricane 4 (Very strong) |
131 - 155 mph 113 - 135 kts |
27.17" - 27.90" 920.08 mb - 944.80 mb |
13.0' - 18.0' 3.9 m - 5.5 m |
Extreme structural damage |
Hurricane 5 (Devastating) |
Greater than 155 mph Greater than 135 kts |
Less than 27.17" Less than 920.08 mb |
Greater than 18.0' Greater than 5.5m |
Catastrophic building failures possible |
God forbid that it did hit Texas but any looters thinking that it would be the same as NOLA would be in for a fatal shock.
“Literacy in America is in jeopardy.”
It’s very obvious to me that this person recently crossed the border from Mexico.
The Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch (TAFB) has sounding their warning bell regarding 92L.
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tafb_latest/danger_atl_latestBW.gif
Doc Frank says they’re waiting until winds are up to 155 before declaring the Cat 5, even tho the pressure warrants it at this point. Looks like they just missed it.
Well, I’m also probably exaggerating how “well” Coz did - because my friend was well prepared and lives in a much more well built structure than most of the Isla.
Dirtboy, definitely see the elongation the ULL is having on Dean. Does an elongation usually result in a track change?
I guess that’s what it is. The stuff is west of me and coming from the Gulf. I’m getting a show though.
You could be right! Look at this warning by American Embassy in Mexico City
http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/eng/citizen_services.html
Dean appears it will smack just north of the Belize/Mexico Border. There is going to be catastrophic damage in that area. Fortunately Belize will be on the “right” side of the storm as it twists, having off shore winds as opposed to winds coming directly from the sea, thus less damages. I’ve been in Hurricane Camille in 69, Mitch in 98, and witnessed firsthand the damages after Katrina in 05. This is nothing to joke about or not take seriously. Jamaica was very lucky they just missed a direct hit, same for Cayman. Cancun and Cozumel will be spared. I doubt Belize will look the same after this. I have a colleage trying to get the last flight out today, hope she makes it out.
Very prudent. Of course, what’s the real difference between 150 and 155?
Cancun radar, for anyone that’s interested...
http://einstein.atmos.colostate.edu/~mcnoldy/tropics/dean07/Dean_20Aug07.gif
Insurance money, probably!
LOL. Of course, what’s insured in Mexico (besides the hotels)?
This is the land of t-shirts ... never gave me one just kept raising my taxes
.
Buoy 42056, 12-meter discus buoy in the Yucatan basin.
Winds.....35k gusting to 44.7
Waves.....29.5 feet
Pressure..29.61 (Falling Rapidly)
Getting nasty out there.
VDM 202202 fix time corrected to 21:02:20Z (5:02 pm EDT). That changes the motion speed between the previous VDM and that one to 21.5 mph. Motion direction still at 278 degrees.
That eye gets big, dark, and awfully mean looking at the end of the loop.
And the reds start to intensify as it goes. It is a good thing it is moving fast!
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