Hurricane Dean is upgraded to a Category 2 storm

August 16, 2007 According to the, is now a  hurricane. The first hurricane of the season had top sustained winds at 100 mph at 5 p.m. EDT. Dean's winds were measured at 75 mph earlier in the day.

A meteorologist from the National Hurricane Center warns, "Dean is likely to become a major hurricane in the eastern Caribbean Sea." Adding that one forecast shows it could become "an extremely dangerous hurricane by the time it reaches the northwestern Caribbean Sea."

Forecasters claim the storm could threaten the by Friday. Dean is then forecast to pass over Jamaica by 2 p.m. EDT Sunday, and then move across the and enter the Gulf of Mexico by Tuesday.

Hurricane warnings have been issues for the islands of St. Lucia and Dominica. The Barbados weather service has issued a for the island of Barbados and a  for  and.

Katherine Cesinger, a spokeswoman for Texas Governor said, "It's so far out, but it's not too early to start preparing...We have more notice than with Erin. We're glad for that especially since [Dean] is projected to bring some strength."

At 2 p.m. EDT, the storm was about 210 miles due east of Barbados and about 305 miles east of Martinique, according to the. It is moving west at 23 mph.

Hurricane Dean was officially named early this morning.