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Shear I think was the main problem.
If the low pressure survives the shear for
the next 48 hours then things COULD
get interesting but I wouldn't bet the ranch
on it.
Vertical shear...it was moving too fast. The sw shear was nothing it could not have survived IF it had not been moving at 25 kts. The lower level vort max that spun up is only a couple of hundred miles off the central american coast now. It was the forward speed. The upper level winds weren't great for development...but nothing that would tear it up if it had not been moving at 25 kts in the opposite direction. When they move that fast they have an extremely difficult time closing off the southern part of the circulation. It's a common problem in that area of the carribean.
Shear and dry air from the west. Hate to say it but this guy is history. Even IF it could make a come back Central America would be the end of the line for it.
There were several factors, but the dry air had to be the main player. It was a battle and there is no more dry air down there (supressed really far south) and there's no more 97L. Life in the tropics I guess.