Bonnie was another storm that had to fight shear, but managed to hold its own, and did not weaken to a category 2 until JUST prior to landfall. One difference is that Bonnie never sped up when moving towards land, unlike Isabel which is forecasted to.
She put a pine tree through my roof, caught me away from shelter when the eye passed over and I didn't get back in time before the winds kicked up and chewed us up for what seemd like forever. From what they are syaing about this one, she should move quickly once she makes landfall. I don't ever want to go through another cane like Bonnie
