Hurricane Dean in the Caribbean is already proving to be more powerful than expected.

The storm at sea was predicted to become a Category 4 by the weekend, but crossed that line on Friday when it moved from the Atlantic Ocean into the warmer waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Dean is now feared to grow to the most dangerous Category 5 at any hour.

Image above: Satellite picture of Hurricane Dean crossing the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean on Friday.

PHOTO CREDIT: NOAA

For the latest information, visit NOAA.gov

The hurricane is on a course for Jamaica and Mexico’s tourist-rich Yucatan Peninsula after scraping over the Lesser Antilles.

Oil and gas rigs in the Gulf of Mexico could also fall victim to Dean. On Friday, several major petroleum companies were reported to have begun evacuating workers from the offshore facilities.

Hurricane Dean left damage in Martinique, Dominica and St. Lucia when it crossed over into the Caribbean Sea early Friday. Hurricane warnings are also in place for parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.