Hurricane Dean sprints to Lesser Antilles

Early this morning, Tropical Storm Dean became Hurricane Dean. The following advisory was issued at 11 a.m. by the U.S. National Hurricane Centre: ************************* BULLETIN DEAN INTENSIFYING AS IT APPROACHES THE LESSER ANTILLES.

Early this morning, Tropical Storm Dean became Hurricane Dean.

The following advisory was issued at 11 a.m. by the U.S. National Hurricane Centre:

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DEAN INTENSIFYING AS IT APPROACHES THE LESSER ANTILLES. A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ISLANDS OF DOMINICA AND ST. LUCIA.

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION. A HURRICANE WATCH CONTINUES FOR THE ISLANDS OF MARTINIQUE, GUADELOUPE AND ITS DEPENDENCIES.

A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA, GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE INDICATES THAT A HURRICANE WARNING WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED THIS AFTERNOON FOR MARTINIQUE, GUADELOUPE AND ITS DEPENDENCIES. AT 11 AM AST, THE METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE OF ANTIGUA HAS UPGRADED THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH TO A TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR THE ISLANDS OF MONTSERRAT, ANTIGUA, ST. KITTS, NEVIS AND BARBUDA.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR BARBADOS.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. AT 11 AM AST THE BARBADOS METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES. AT 11 AM AST, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND DISCONTINUED THE HURRICANE WATCH FOR SABA AND ST. EUSTATIUS.

THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR ST. MAARTEN HAS BEEN CHANGED TO A TROPICAL STORM WARNING. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR GRENADA AND ITS DEPENDENCIES.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA, GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS WILL LIKELY OCCUR LATER TODAY. INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN THE LESSER ANTILLES, THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, PUERTO RICO AND HISPANIOLA SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF DEAN. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA, PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. AT 1100 AM AST, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DEAN WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 13.7 NORTH, LONGITUDE 54.3 WEST OR ABOUT 350 MILES (565 KM) EAST OF BARBADOS AND ABOUT 455 MILES (730 KM) EAST OF MARTINIQUE. DEAN IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 23 MPH (37 KM/HR) AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY.

ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER OF DEAN WILL BE NEAR THE LESSER ANTILLES EARLY FRIDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 90 MPH (150 KM/HR) WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

DEAN IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.

STRONGER WINDS, ESPECIALLY IN GUSTS, ARE LIKELY OVER ELEVATED TERRAIN.

ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT WILL INVESTIGATE DEAN THIS AFTERNOON. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES (45 KM) FROM THE CENTER.

DATA FROM NOAA BUOY 41010 INDICATES THAT TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES (165 KM) FROM THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 979 MB (28.91 INCHES).

STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS, ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES, IS POSSIBLE NEAR THE CENTER OF DEAN. STORM TOTAL RAINFALLS OF 2 TO 5 INCHES, WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 7 INCHES IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS ARE POSSIBLE IN ASSOCIATION WITH DEAN.

THESE RAINS COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUDSLIDES.

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