Lines of Severe Thunderstorms hit area


Severe Thunderstorms are moving through Eastern Ontario tonight. Warnings and Watches have been posted for all areas. It was a very muggy day in the province with temperatures in the low thirties and very humid. A cold front is slicing into the muggy air with the result being several waves of storms. I was in west end Ottawa tonight experiencing one of the storms. It was fairly tame with the exception of the lightning, which was amazing. Several cells on radar in the upper Ottawa Valley are approaching severe limits - so more weather is on the way tonight.

Dean crossing the coast as a Cat 5 yesterday

Dean weakens to Tropical Storm

The remains of Hurricane Dean will ring itself out over the mountains of central Mexico tonight which as much as 20 inches of rain. The rain will produce life threatening mudslides and flooding in the area. The Storm moved onshore for the final time today near Veracruz, Mexico. Meanwhile the Yucatan is recovering and slowly cleaning up from yesterday's brush with the Category 5 storm. Remarkably no deaths were reported so far in Mexico. Jamaica's south coast is cleaning up also with total destruction is some cases. 13 deaths occurred there and also in the Lesser Antilles.

The storm behaved well and was exceptionally forecast by the National Hurricane Center. That, and a quick response by authorities along the track of Dean, prevented a far greater catastrophe. It also helped that the storm skirted islands and made landfall in an area of the Yucatan with little population. Sadly it still managed to destroy many home in and just north of Chetumel, Mexico.

Dean getting stronger

Hurricane Dean is just shy of Category 5 status at this hour. The storm is located about 330 miles east of Belize City in the western Caribbean Sea heading slightly due north of west. The storm is expected to make landfall overnight tonight on the Yucatan south of Cozumel. The storm is then expected to cross the peninsula and emerge into the Gulf of Mexico before approaching Tampico on the Gulf Coast of Mexico Wednesday- possibly as a Category three hurricane. What all this means is that massive evacuations were expected along both coastlines as Dean approaches. Thousands of tourists were boarding planes away from the Yucatan yesterday and today.

It appears that the damage was extensive along the south coast of Jamaica but not as bad as feared. Ten deaths have been blamed on the storm so far. Residents in extreme south Texas near Brownsville were being asked to leave the low lying coastal areas prior to landfall in Mexico as a precaution.

Dean spares Jamaica

Serious damage - but it could have been worse

Hurricane Dean wobbled south of Jamaica yesterday producing heavy rain, mudslides and 115mph winds. It could have been far worse. The Cat 4 storm is moving west of the Island nation this morning and is about 415 miles from the Belize coast. The next target will be that country and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. The area will be hammered by the storm which we expect will be a Category 5 by then, producing 155mph winds and gusts to 185. The damage could be catastrophic in places. The area has just finished rebuilding from Wilma in 2005.

I apologize for the problems providing updates on this blog. My home computer is out and I am working on it. In the meantime the Hurricane City link on the left has all the latest information and links 0n the storm.

• The remains of Tropical Storm Erin meantime rung itself out over Oklahoma yesterday morning with 9 inches of rain in just a few hoursin and around King Fisher County. The result was severe flash flooding. At least 7 deaths were blamed on the storm. Numerous water rescues were carried out all day, reminiscent of Katrina in 2005. The storm is producing rain across Missouri, Kentucky and Illinois today.

Next update will be around 5pm today....

Dean a Cat 2 storm

pounding Lesser Antilles

Hurricane Dean is pounding Martinique and neighboring islands this morning with fierce winds and rain. Winds have been reported up to 87mph overnight. The storm is producing 5-10 inches of rain and waves and storm surge of up to 10 feet in places. It is expected to move away from the islands later today. Next in the storms path will be Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands. The storm is riding the southern edge of the Bermuda high that has been baking the US southeast. That is good news for that area but very bad news for south Texas. Projections have the storm heading for coastal Texas by the middle part of next week as a major hurricane.

Dean becomes Hurricane
Severe Thunderstorms in Ontario


Several lines of severe thunderstorms are passing across the St. Lawrence Valley and Eastern Ontario this afternoon. The air is very unstable and a weak cold front is slicing through it. Temperatures rose rapidly behind a warm front this morning up to around 29C.The storms should taper off by the supper hour.Warnings and Watches are in effect for all of eastern Ontario and Upstate New York.

Hurricane Dean continues to strengthen as it heads rapidly westward through the Atlantic and Caribbean. The storm is expected to brush the Lesser Antilles and Windward Islands tomorrow before taking aim at the Yucatan, Cozumel and Cancun. The storm is forecast to become a major Category 4 Hurricane by Sunday. All interests in the Gulf and Coastal Mexico should pay close attention to this potentially dangerous storm.

Meanwhile Tropical Storm Erin moved inland over south Texas northeast of Corpus Christie this morning with heavy rain, flooding and isolated tornadoes. Full details can be found at this link: http://www.kristv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6942390

Tropical Storm Erin approaching the Texas Gulf Coast

Dean continues west

Erin forms in Gulf of Mexico

The tropics continue active today as Tropical Storms Dean and Erin have developed. Dean is expected to continue west while intensifying and could become the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2007 season. The storm is expected to approach the Dominican Republic and Haiti by weeks end, potentially as a major hurricane.

In the meantime Tropical Storm Erin formed only hours ago in the Gulf of Mexico about 250 miles east of Brownsville. Tropical Storm Warnings have been raised for the lower Texas Coast south of Freeport into northern Mexico. The biggest threat from Erin will be torrential tropical rains in excess of 5 inches and up to 8 inches in places. The official update can be found at this link: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT5+shtml/151536.shtml

The expected path of Tropical Storm Dean

Hurricane Flossie moving south of the big island of Hawaii today

The Tropics heat up

Hurricane Flossie is skirting the big island of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean today. Towering waves of up to 25 feet are expected to cause some flooding along the south coast of the island. Also heavy rains may produce flash flooding and mudslides. Winds are expected in the 40-60mph range over extreme southern areas.

Meanwhile in the Atlantic midway between the African coast and the US Virgin Islands, we find Tropical Storm Dean. Forecasters are expecting Dean to continue moving towards the west northwest along the southern edge of the Bermuda high. By Friday the storm should be approaching the far eastern Caribbean Islands as a hurricane. All interest in the US southeast should monitor this storm as it looks to be the first of the season to threaten the area. Keep in mind we are over a week away from this happening if at all.

A car sits under a washed out section of road near Placentia Bay.

Tropical Strom Chantal floods Newfoundland
High heat and humidity in Ontario/ Quebec

Southeast Newfoundland received between 100-150mm of rain in as little as six hours yesterday morning causing serious flooding in the southeast part of the province. Many roads were washed out and homes flooded. Several motorists narrowly escaped death when there cars were washed into culverts. Sections of the Trans Canada Highway were washed out near Placentia Bay. Roads in St. John's were flooded as well. Tropical Storm Chantal, the third of the season, brushed the southeast part of the province late Tuesday night. The storm formed over the the open Atlantic east of North Carolina and raced northeast.

• High heat and humidity warnings continue in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto today. Heat emergencies have been declared and cooling shelters opened. Record highs can be expected today with the mercury soaring into the mid 30's over many areas. Humidex values will push over 40C. Drink plenty of water and limit outdoor activities, unless it is a beer by the water!