Hurricane Dean slams Jamaica, heads for Yucatan

Hurricane Dean slams Jamaica, heads for Yucatan Hurricane Dean skirted the south coast of Jamaica Sunday and early Monday, prompting a state of emergency declaration in Kingston, and is headed for likely direct hit on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, but possibly sparing the Cayman Islands the most severe impacts.
   The storm passed some 20 miles off the coast of Jamaica Sunday with 145 mile per hour winds. Although there was not a direct hit, hurricane conditions still whipped Kingston and Montego Bay to the west. Ports were shut down during the storm, and will remain closed Monday as authorities assess damage. However, air service is expected to resume in Jamaica Monday.
   Meanwhile, the National Hurricane Center in Miami early Monday said Hurricane Dean is moving south of the Cayman Islands as a Category 4 hurricane with winds approaching 150 miles per hour. The hurricane center issued a hurricane warning for the coast of Belize and the East Coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. It is expected to hit there by Tuesday.
   The storm could reach Category 5 status as it hits the Yucatan. It will weaken when it makes land, but will continue as a Category 2 by midweek, now in line to reach the Port of Tampico.
   On Saturday, the storm passed south of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, but still caused damage near the shore. Friday night, the storm hit St. Lucia, which is now recovering from that damage.
   There have been nine reported deaths from the storm.