Irene Eye Peeking Out - Cat 3 Possible?

[wxman57]

Looks like the Irene sat pic thread was locked, and I didn't want to post to the advisory thread. Here's a long McIdas loop of Irene today. It's 6.5MB so far, so give it time to load. You can see the convection wrapping around the center and the eye appearing fairly well at 1616Z. I think it may have a shot at strong Cat 2 or Cat 3 in the next 24 hours.

http://myweb.cableone.net/nolasue/ireneloopaug15.gif

[WindRunner]

I think that's pushing it, but a cat2 is not out of the question.

[Thunder44]

Does it look like it's turned more east in the past couple of frames? Perhaps a wobble.

[wxman57]

New images added into the loop now. Eye stlill not clear. Cat 3 will certainly be pushing it, but I'm in a hurricane pool here at work and need 7 majors.

http://myweb.cableone.net/nolasue/ireneloopaug15.gif

[Hyperstorm]

New images added into the loop now. Eye stlill not clear. Cat 3 will certainly be pushing it, but I'm in a hurricane pool here at work and need 7 majors.

http://myweb.cableone.net/nolasue/ireneloopaug15.gif

There are signs the eye will again try to pop out shortly and this means that RI is underway. Category 2 is quite likely, although a 3 is not out of the question. While I was starting to give up on the possibility of a Category 2 hurricane yesterday evening bcause the system was starting to look ragged, the hurricane has come back this morning with a vengeance.

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

I'm looking at some close up visible loops. Its eye has open up. Its eye wall is wraping around with deep convection. I say its on its way to become a very powerful hurricane.

[wxwatcher91]

it really all depends on whether Irene can keep up her eastward track...

I dont doubt a strong cat 2 could be the case here within the next 12 to 24 hours... after 24hours shes gone to swim with the xtropical fishies