Thanks for the new thread. Things are getting hairy on the west coast of Florida.

The 0000 utc SHIP has Charley as a 80kt storm as it goes by me in Jacksonville. That's after it goes across the state. Somehow that doesn't compute with me. The numerical models show not much more movement to the west ( no more than 83W) and it makes landfall only, or just because, he runs into land. I hadn't thought about the fact he's not west of tampa yet. He comes in south of Tampa and strong, 97kts. Now all this is according to the numerical models, not me.......

He's going to be quick across Cuba, no more than a couple of hours. He's going across the thinnest possible overland route he could find, he really has taken advantage of every break he could get from mother nature. This will change the way I think of the GOM in August for a long time.