Looks like a 'cane now. Bad mojo for the islands, and call me stubborn, but I still think there will be a North recurve of some sort as it enters the GoM, thinking TX/LA, but while I would not go so far as to put Florida in the clear, looking more and more like a NW GoM strike. My thinking is that I don't think the ridge will keep it in place long enough to keep the solid westardly track.
I agree with you and want to see what that eroding trough/ULL business ahead does to Dean - But NHC has been right up to now. I'm having trouble getting this to touch Florida after this return veer west.