I'm not even noticing Gaston much. Gaston is just gonna cause a rainy and wet period wherever it goes...unless it stalls out there. If it doesn, rapid building is certainly not out of the question. Gaston has already built to near hurricane strength, and few thought that might happen.

Frances has as good a chance to get to a biggee soon. It will be interesting to see how long Frances can stay at this level. I had heard of a "life-cycle" on the bigger canes, and watching this might make us take a little credence to that theory.

Moving just fast enough, and over open waters...watch what happens if it kicks more west. Then the old theory of "making it's own weather" kicks in. The upper level high it builds strengthens, and it becomes somwhat impervious to anything in its way, except happless land masses....like Mobile, for instance....oh,, well, first Frances will punish MIami with cat 5 gnashing of the teeth.....then loop to Mobile as a docile category 4...or perhaps....graze the keys...and then loop toward New Orleans, and wipe that city out...

this year looks like it might punish the insurance companies...
a real widow-maker