September 7, 2005. It would appear that Ophelia is splitting it's eye while being pulled west across Florida. If this storm heads for the Gulf and meets up with a convection system that now spans Mexico, I don't want to know the velocity it can reach. I don't want anyone to get comfortable with the idea 'we can relax.' Now, is not the time. A few weeks from now but the solar radiation is still with us.
There is no doubt at this time that the progress of Tropical Storm Ophelia is of concern and should never be dismissed as insignificant. Katrina killed 11 people as a Cat One Hurricane.