Hurricane Dean: 1a.m. Update

Published 20th August, 1:24am

Hurricane Dean is moving away from Jamaica and could become a category five system later today (Monday).

Dean is moving toward the west near 20 mph and this general motion is expected to continue during the next 24 hours. On this track the centre of Dean will pass just south of the Cayman Islands later this morning. Conditions are expected to be similar to those previously outlined.

Continuing the more favourable trend, at 1 am local time the centre of Hurricane Dean was located near latitude 17.7 north and longitude 79.7 west or about 150 miles southeast of Grand Cayman.

Reports from an Air Force Reserve hurricane hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 150 mph with higher gusts. Dean is an extremely dangerous category four hurricane and could reach category five strength today.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the centre and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 205 miles. An Air Force hurricane hunter plane recently reported a minimum central pressure of 926 mb.

The next advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 400 am local time.

For more information, log on to www.CaymanPrepared.ky

For further information contact: Pat Ebanks