Al, I swear, I keep looking at the radar loops, very very closely, and I really don't have a preference which way it's going . . . but even as of 2 minutes ago, it's still going NNW . . . there is NOT an eastern shift, nor has it shifted to due North . . . it is on a direct bead for the Big Easy . . .
I'm seeing what you're seeing. This storm has a history of jogging W but seldom N. At least it looks slightly east of NOLA and not west which, I am told, would be disastrous.
Okay, here's the deal: to hit New Orleans with the eye will require a near 45 degree left turn immediately. Yes, everything from NOLA (maybe even Red Stick) to past Fort Walton Beach is gonna significantly feel this. Hurricane force winds will go from NOLA to Pensacola.
The current longitude of the eye's center is still just at the Miss/Ala border, and in this intellicast view, I see it moving almost due north -- maybe 5 degrees left of that.
That border region is still most likely the target, though it could hang out to Gulfport or Biloxi.
Meanwhile, the FR servers seem to be melting down...