Hurricane Dean

[Howard]

For those interested , the NOAA operates a series of moored deep water buoys that record conditions ....

THIS ONE is right in the path of the hurricane (currently at 18.2N 84.2W) ...

Been watching the wave heights and the winds rise ....

Currently 58 knots and 31 feet ....

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Yeah, nice place to stand guys

 

[Howard]

You wouldn't want to be there at the moment .....

Actually , it gives you a good idea of wave height ...

Currently they are 30 odd feet ( about 10m ) ..... the weather instruments on the top are 10m above sea level ...

 

[Howard]

Just seen this on Metcheck :-

Hurricane Dean is continuing to pose a huge threat to parts of the Yucatan Peninsula as continues to head West at 20mph.

Earlier this morning, a recon plane measured a central pressure of 926mb and sustained winds of up to 150mph.

During today, Dean will continue to push over very warm waters, and with little upper level shear, Dean is expected to intensify into a category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 160mph and gusts up to 195mph!

Dean is expected to make landfall some 200 miles South of Cancun near Chetumal and cross the Yucatan Peninsula towards Campeche. Latest HWRF forecasts show Dean bottoming out with a central pressure of 885mb on landfall.

If Dean does achieve this, then it will put him as the second most powerful hurricane in recorded history (behind Wilma of 2005) and head of Gilbert (1988).

 

[Sp!ke]

Must be due to global warming

 

[Howard]

If anyone is interested .....

Hurricane Dean has now crossed the Yucatan peninsula and is now crossing the Bay of Campeche. Dean is now a category 1 hurricane after being a category 5 storm prior to landfall earlier on Tuesday. Re-strengthening is expected before landfall again over mainland Mexico.

Dean has made the record books...

Earlier on Tuesday (21st Aug), a central pressure of 906mb was recorded, this is the ninth lowest pressure reading on record for an Atlantic basin hurricane. Not only that, it is the third lowest pressure reading at landfall behind the 1935 labour day hurricane in Florida and hurricane Gilbert in 1988.

Hurricane Dean was also the first category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the Atlantic basin since hurricane Andrew of 1992.

A phenomenal hurricane and a perfect example of the powers of mother nature. With another 3 months of the Atlantic hurricane season left, Dean is unlikely to be the last hurricane of this season.