Obersturmfury Dean
As of 8PM EDT Dean has become a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 135 mph and gusts to 155. It continues to track to the West at 18 mph and is getting bigger and nastier as it moves through warm water and light wind shear.
Anyone who can, should get out of Dean’s way. Puerto Rico and Hispaniola can expect tropical storm force winds and rain. Jamaica and the Cayman Islands are now in Dean’s path if nothing changes. You do not want to be on an island smaller than Australia when something like Dean is in the area.
Be aware that when a storm gets as big and powerful as Dean, it can make sudden moves. It is like a spinning top, and can be deflected by relatively minor force. It is currently being steered by a high pressure ridge. If that ridge weakens, Dean can make an abrupt turn to the north and then east, the directions it would normally go on its own. If you are anywhere near this thing you have to pay attention.
Update: at 11PM EDT, Dean is south of Puerto Rico with tropical storm force winds brushing the coast. It is a much more circular storm and growing larger, The current sustained winds are 145 mph and it continues to move West.
6 comments
This is what happens when you piss off DNC Chairman Howard…
(teasing…)
I hope everyone will head the emergency warnings. When they tell you get out…GET OUT!
Hurricanes aren’t my cup of disaster. I’ll stick with earthquakes, wildfires, drought and traffic.
I’m just waiting for the Locusts, now.
On the other hand I don’t think you’d object to a dying tropical storm coming ashore at Santa Barbara with about 8-10 inches of rain.
Rain? What’s that? 😉
Believe me, Dean has my attention every few hours at the longest. I’m not letting it out of my sight until I know whether to hunker down or to run. I’ve never been very good at waiting, not that I have much choice…
I know, Jill, I lived in San Diego 10 years. It’s getting to be Santa Ana time.
The models keep jumping around past three days. For a while the GDFL had it going into Louisiana. If it loses the ridge it will jump to the north. Too many variables, not enough computers.
Taking a look at the fire maps, you can see that the wind has done some damage in spreading the fire. Seems its been jumping around.
http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?id=1400&nid=5369&linkSource=edhat.com
The terrain is unforgiving and dangerous with no access. Apparently they’ve been airlifting in some of the firefighters and using drones to help locate new hot spots.
Hurricanes and wildfires. Even if we chart them out and think we have a handle on their direction, they have a tendency to just go off and “do their own thing.”