[helen crump]

Isn't it tree that these storms that get really intense, really fast often play out before they make landfall?

[lnbchip]

Here in Louisiana we had an interesting encounter with Hurricane Lili a couple of years ago. We were facing a Strong Category 3 storm that was promising to strengthen to a low end Category 4 before landfall. However, we had just had a Tropical Storm strike a week earlier in New Orleans. As a result, the waters near the coast were significantly cooler than expected. When the storm hit these waters just a few hours before landfall, it dropped to about 110 mph winds. I don't know if there are specific rules that can determine if one will play out or not. But, I know that there is an amazing amount of unpredictability to these storms.