The ambient SLPs are relatively high. 1004mb is thereby low on a relative basis. The last recon pass through Gordon found 4mb drop in just 3 hours. The eyewall has shown multiple clean velocity scans well into upper-end tropical storm force, but off and on, or if you like, consistently inconsistent - but also consistent with the 65 MPH (56 KT) sustained wind from the Mesonet site NWS Key West reported earlier this morning.

IMHO, it is more likely than not that this is the development of an inner core and incipient eye (Would put the odds of this above 95%). However, that said, Gordon is a small/mid-sized TC with a very small inner core, and will likely be subject to rapid fluctuations (up and down) of intensity.

The track ahead is actually one of generally favorable shear and hearty SSTs, so an overall strengthening trend possibly with episodes of R.I. looks on target. Cat 1/2 hurricane at landfall seems to me very plausible - less or even slightly higher - depending.

*Edited to correct for pressure drop. (4mb not 6mb - finalized in the second vortex message).