Okay, this is my first ever attempt at forecasting! So please bare with me
In my opinion Irene will make land fall just North of Florida as a hurricane. She has overcome the worst of the conditions she has been in, and is headed for much more favorable conditions. I`d shift the track a bit West of the NHC's track, mainly for the reason that I think she will hold a bit before strengthening and move more along the bottom of the ridge,although I do believe she will be back to a tropical storm status by 11pm or 5am advisory, as long as convection continues.
Now that shear is lower as well as less dry air it's almost certain she will strengthen. Although she has a small patch of dry air ahead of her I believe with the banding features apearing better all the time this will not be of much trouble, maybe hindering the intensification by a few knots. When she passes the dry air and is into a moist enviroment I believe the strengthening will become somewhat,more steady. Pressure is now at 1007mb and once she crosses the dry air and reaches slightly warmer SST's I believe that the pressure drop with also become someone more steady.
I still find it very hard to make a confident assesment because of this storms past.
Well here is what I think :
INITIAL 10/2100Z 30 KT
12HR VT 35 KT
24HR VT 40 KT
36HR VT 45 KT
48HR VT 50 KT (Strengthening becoming steadier)
72HR VT 60 KT (Steady increase)
96HR VT 70 KT (")
120HR VT 80 KT (")
144HR VT 90 KT (Landfall)
http://img364.imageshack.us/my.php?image=guess6xq.gif


