Quote: There is no way it's a Cat V (at FL landfall). I would guess II to III. As far as how much it would weaken, see Charley. ( i.e., not much)
Well, Charley did weaken, but from a cat IV to cat II - still strong enough to snap trees and destroy mobile homes. You can expect about a two category drop when a tropical cyclone moves inland, depending a lot on topography and time spent over land. Whether Ivan makes landfall or not, it is bound to be close enough to the west coast of FL for MANY coastal residents to feel a major impact! NHC is doing a great job for public safety - better to opt for the west coast track at this time - note that the entire peninsula of Florida is still within the "cone of concern." At this point in time, who cares about the point of landfall?
-------------------- "Let tomorrow worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."