.8 is the used reduction factor at 850mb, the level where recon flew at the time.
I'm not disputing that at all, as I don't have all the records at my disposal that you obviously have. For whatever it's worth I did find some data on the projected paths of the storm using a lot of those pressure curves...had to do mostly with tracking the storm from the AMS site. For some reason, the link won't take, so you'll have to cut and paste it, but here it is:
http://ams.allenpress.com/pdfserv/10.11 ... -0469(1961)018%3C0127:TTOHAB%3E2.0.CO%3B2
I'm not sure but perhaps it being a pdf file has something to do with it. Anyway: This report's been around for over 40 years, and granted it deals with tracking patterns more than anything else, still a lot of pressure data is there and no one challenging the status of Audrey as a bona-fide 4 as yet. This may change; but as stated earlier, until I see something more than an algorithm or someone's chart, I'll go with what the vast majority of reporting data seem to cite. Do you believe all those wind reports to have been in error as well? (Referencing the oil tenders that recorded winds of 150-180). At any rate, this is another situation where we'll just have to agree to disagree.
The lesson of Audrey and Rita is it does not take a cat 4 to devastate an area. A marginal 3 is still a major hurricane
On THAT we are in complete agreement.
A2K