Not quite...and it's Replacement, not Regeneration or Replenishment.
About two threads ago I posted a guide to ERCs and some of the mythology around them, I forget where. Anyway, a new eyewall forms surrounding the original eyewall (thus forming a bullseye) and the inner eyewall gradually fades away; the pressure rises some, and the maximum winds drop, though the area of high winds gets wider. Eventually the inner eyewall vanishes completely, and you're left with one eyewall..the new, wider eyewall. If the conditions for the storm are still favorable, this outer eyewall shrinks and the storm restrengthens again.
The entire process takes 12-18 hours. The 5AM NHC advisory noted the beginnings of it, so it likely began at 4AM today. Recon still shows concentric eyewalls but the inner eyewall is almost toast. The cycle will likely be completed by midnight or so.
You are dead on the money again my friend.
Outer Eyewall is now closed and shrinking, inner eyewall is falling apart. Pressure up slightly again as expected, winds still holding at 120-125 Kts.
391 URNT12 KNHC 230159 VORTEX DATA MESSAGE A. 23/01:44:40Z B. 26 deg 03 min N 090 deg 07 min W C. 700 mb 2381 m D. NA kt E. NA deg nm F. 227 deg 109 kt G. 136 deg 017 nm H. 917 mb I. 12 C/ 3015 m J. 17 C/ 3044 m K. 16 C/ NA L. CLOSED M. CO18-32 N. 12345/ 7 O. 0.02 / 1 nm P. AF309 2018A RITA OB 11 MAX FL WIND 123 KT NE QUAD 00:04:20 Z INNER EYEWALL RAGGED AND OPEN S-E
"The entire process takes 12-18 hours. The 5AM NHC advisory noted the beginnings of it, so it likely began at 4AM today. Recon still shows concentric eyewalls but the inner eyewall is almost toast. The cycle will likely be completed by midnight or so."
So does that mean that it could strengthen back to a 5 by landfall?