Tropical Update – Dean and Erin

Tropical Storm Dean continues to intensify, and is moving on a WNW pattern. If this trajectory holds, landfall could be anywhere from Central America to the Texas/Mexico border. The NHC is calling for it to reach Catagory Four status in 120 hours.

A recon flight is scheduled for tommorrow and that will greatly enhance the ability to forecast possible paths. At the last visible sat image from today, it appears to be forming an eyewall. I would not be surprised to find Dean listed as a Hurricane sometime tonight or tommorrow.

Tropical Storm Erin still has Texas as “tap dead center”. She has strengthened some, but is not expected to reach hurricane status before landfall sometime tommorrow. Her biggest threat will be rain and the associated flooding. Surge and tidal activity should be fairly minor with this system.