The Center expects Dean, which posted sustained winds of 75 miles per hour by 5:00 a.m. EDT this morning, to continue gathering strength in the next days, moving quickly west to northwest. The Center says some models indicate Dean could turn into a major hurricane over the western Caribbean.
Hurricane warnings have been posted for the islands of Dominica and St. Lucia, while hurricane watches continue for the islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe and its dependencies Saba and St. Eustatius, reports the Center.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Erin is nearing the Texas coast, raising fear in oil markets but not presenting a serious threat to life. The Center lifted a tropical storm warning along the southern Texas coast from Port Mansfield southward to Brownsville, but the warning remains in effect for the Texas coast from San Luis Pass southward to Port Mansfield.