WiscoWx02 wrote:Model runs coming in weaker and weaker with each suite…a good sign for Louisiana overall. Misalignment with the upper level anticyclone should impart shear on the system, I’m sure mid level shear will become a hinderance as has been the case with Caribbean and Gulf storms commonly as of late. It being so close to continental dry air from the trough moving in also raises skepticism that this gets all that strong. Category 1 is probably the ceiling imo, maybe low end Cat 2 if it can beat these negative factors.
On the other hand, Francine is already at 995 mb (confirmed by eye drop). GFS has it at 1003 mb at this time, and the lowest it has ever shown for 18z 9/9 was 999 mb. HWRF and HMON were also underestimating its organization at 18z. Both HAFS models are the only ones that nailed it, and they show Cat 2-3 peak (albeit after some fluctuation in the next 12-24 hours).