Hurricane Dean, the first major storm of the 2007 hurricane season, has become a Category 5 storm – the strongest storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The National Hurricane Center updated its advisory, this evening, notifying the public that maximum sustained winds have now reached 160 mph. A Category 5 is characterized as any tropical storm above 155 mph sustained winds.

The NHC describes a Cat5 as causing complete building failure, storm surge generally over 18ft, utility loss, and all trees blown down. Dean maintains its course, with the eye expected to come ashore in 4-6 hours. After ripping through the Yucatan Peninsula, Dean will re-enter the Gulf of Mexico. From there, it is expected to restrengthen a bit, before coming ashore in Central Mexico.

May God be with everyone in the path of the storm.