Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Hurricane Dean makes final landfall 22/1630Z


The National Hurricane Center reports that Hurricane Dean has made what is expected to be its final landfall about 40 miles south of Tuxpan near the Mexican gulf coast town of Tecolutla.

Winds were estimated at 86 knots/100 mph/160 kmh making Dean's final power that of a Category 2 hurricane.

Dean should rapidly lose strength as it travels inland, depositing heavy rains over a wide area. Some areas of southern Texas down to the Central American countries will feel the residual effects for the next day or two.

The speed at which Dean crossed the Gulf of Mexico actually prevented it from getting any worse.

The Yucatan port of Costa Maya at the village of Majahual took a direct hit from Category 5 winds. The village experienced crumpling steel girders and flying wood splinters as the concrete cruise ship terminal was washed away and hundreds of homes were destroyed. The storm surge overtook the entire town with waist-deep water.

Other activity in the Atlantic seems to have subsided for the time being. Invest 92L, which looked like another circulation brewing has not developed, primarily due to the upper level winds, and there is nothing further to the east to indicate that any tropical revolving storms will form over the next week.

Those interested in a post-mortem of Hurricane Dean might be interested in this entry.

Unless Dean somehow revives itself, this will be the final posting on this weather event. Thanks to Dr. Jeff Masters for computer models and the NHC for data and discussion.

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