Chris Still Strengthening

I wake up this morning, rub the grog out of my eyes, and find that this storm is still stronger and better organized. The winds are up to nearly 65 mph, the pressure down to 1001 mb. You can even see what looks kinda like the beginning of an eye in the satellite imagery. In short, just a little more strengthening and we're going to have a hurricane on our hands, perhaps as early as later today.

The NHC, meanwhile, keeps upping the predicted intensities. Now they've got Chris up to 70 kt within 4-5 days. (Knots to mph conversion here.) What's most troubling is the possibility that around that time, Chris could be over very warm waters (SSTs 29.5 - 30 C) with minimal vertical wind shear, and right near the Florida Keys heading into the Gulf. Frankly, I'm getting worried about this one, folks. So is Jeff Masters (who picks a very bad time to announce he's taking a holiday). As Masters puts it, "Given this forecast, there is no region of the Gulf Coast that can assume Chris will miss them."

P.S.: Houston Chronicle science writer Eric Berger is also doing a good job of tracking this storm and I am adding his blog, SciGuy, to the blogroll.

P.P.S.: Chris now at 1001 mb and close to 65 mph winds. The Air Force hurricane hunter may come back later this afternoon with an official pronouncement....