The trough is very evident today, as it brings clouds and an overcast but dry weather here in Long Island. The trough will pick up Ivan later in the forecast period I think and bringing huge amounts of rain to the Applachian moutain area, and people in New york and pennslyania. The main concern for most people is where will it landfall, well right now it seems as though it will slam into the Florida Panhandle but my thinking is more west for this reason. The ridge in the east is going to build because of the jet once again entering the United States, this will cause Ivan to stay on it's wnw to nw course, until the trough starts acting upon it and grabing it but by then it will have already caused it's devastation. So, anyone in the area from New Orleans to about Tampa now seems that will have a major hurricane make landfall, but nothing is certain yet