Category Four Hurricane Dean is now just miles away from Jamaica and the island is now feeling the effects of the system.

As at 2pm Sunday afternoon the core of the extremely dangerous Hurricane Dean is nearing the island.

The National Hurricane Centre in the latest release says the centre of Hurricane Dean was located about 80 miles or 125 kilometers southeast of Kingston.

Dean is moving west northwest near 18 miles or 30 kilometers per hour.

On this forecast track, the centre of Dean will be passing very near to the south coast over the next six to twelve hours.

Maximum sustained winds are near 145 miles per hour or 230 kilometres per hour with higher gusts.

Dean is a category four hurricane on the Saffir Simpson scale.

Fluctuations in intensity are common in major hurricanes and are possible during the next 24 hours.

Hurricane force winds from Dean extend outward up to 60 miles of 95 kilometres per hour from the centre while tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 205 miles or 335 kilometres per hour.

The latest minimum central pressure reported by an air force reserve unit reconnaissance aircraft was 930 millibars or 27.46 inches.

Coastal storm surge flooding of 7 to 9 feet above normal tide levels, along with large and  dangerous battering waves is possible near the centre of Dean within the hurricane warning area.