We have a new recon.

Looks like another ERC to start fairly soon.

Flight level winds support 125kt / 145mph surface winds. Eyewall is 15NM circular, but we have a double eyewall on the north.

In Microwave, I notice there was some disruption of the convective feeder bands, but the core of the storm is intact. Dean is now entering very warm Caribbean waters with high heat potential, so we can expect recovery from the passage by Jamaica fairly quickly and continued intensification.

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991
URNT12 KNHC 200408
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE AL042007
A. 20/03:42:50Z
B. 17 deg 30 min N
079 deg 00 min W
C. 700 mb 2467 m
D. 105 kt
E. 226 deg 8 nm
F. 342 deg 104 kt
G. 226 deg 016 nm
H. 927 mb
I. 7 C/ 3069 m
J. 15 C/ 3044 m
K. 15 C/ NA
L. CLOSED
M. C15
N. 12345/7
O. 0.02 / 1 nm
P. AF304 1104A DEAN OB 16
MAX FL WIND 142 KT NW QUAD 02:25:20 Z
MAX FL WIND OUTBOUND 145 KT N QUAD 03:48:30 Z
MAX SWS 125 KT N QUAD 03:47:00 Z
DOUBLE EYEWALL STRUCTURE OUTBOUND N QUAD

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A few great image links for Dean:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-118/html/s118e07920.html
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-118/html/s118e07919.html
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-118/html/s118e07937.html

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