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Tropical Storm Dean Will Intensify
Tropical Storm Dean is forecast to become the year's first hurricane by the end of the week. Meanwhile, a tropical wave in the Gulf of Mexico could reach tropical storm strength before bringing heavy rain to South Texas on Wednesday.

At 11 a.m. EDT today, Dean was located in the central Atlantic, approximately 1500 miles east of the Lesser Antilles island chain, moving west at 23 mph. The maximum sustained winds in fourth named storm of the 2007 Atlantic Basin hurricane season were near 40 mph with higher gusts.

The Hurricane Center reports steering winds associated with a large area of high pressure over the Atlantic will steer Dean to the west over the next several days.

Dean will likely intensify as it moves toward warmer water and is expected to become the first Atlantic hurricane of 2007 by later this week.

Tropical Storm Dean is forecast to reach the Lesser Antilles by Thursday or Friday. The positioning of the jet stream over the western Atlantic will determine which path Dean takes next week. Interests from Lesser Antilles to the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the southeast U.S. should closely monitor the development of the tropical storm.

In the Pacific, Hurricane Flossie has been downgraded to a Category 2 storm, with sustained winds near 110 mph. As of 9 a.m. HST (12 p.m. PDT Tuesday), Flossie was located approximately 148 miles southeast of South Point, Hawaii, moving west-northwest at 14 mph.

Flossie is a compact hurricane. The Hurricane Center reports hurricane-force winds extended 40 miles from the center, while tropical-storm force winds extended 160 miles from the eye of the storm.

The West Regional News story reports a Tropical Storm Warning and a Hurricane Watch are in effect for the Big Island. Flossie today will skirt south of the Hawaiian Islands, pounding the windward side of the Big Island with tropical storm-force winds, heavy surf and more than 10 inches of rain.

The last hurricane to directly hit Hawaii was Iniki in 1992. The storm slammed Kauai, killing six and causing $2.5 billion in damage (in 1992 dollars).

Meanwhile, tropical development in the Gulf of Mexico could ease the intense heat that has gripped the nation for more than a week. The Southwest Regional News story reports a tropical wave located north of the Yucatan peninsula and an upper-level low over the Gulf of Mexico will interact by Wednesday morning. The combined system could intensify into a tropical storm before bringing heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding in South and East Texas.

The influx of tropical moisture will cut into the hot dry weather that much of the Southeast has endured over the past 9 days. Temperatures today will climb above 100 in many areas from South Carolina to central Texas and north into southern Nebraska.

Strong storms today will develop from the high Plains to the Great Lakes. According to the Midwest Regional News story, the storms will be triggered by a cold front slicing into the rim of the heat extending into the northern Plains and Upper Midwest.

The strongest storms will cause locally heavy rainfall, damaging winds, and hail. The potential for isolated tornado development cannot be ruled out. The Severe Weather Center has an up-to-date list of storm and heat-related advisories, watches and warnings in effect today.

Tropical Storm Dean Will Intensify (http://www.accuweather.com/news-top-headline.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0)