They've actually gotten very accurate with their forecasts. They expected a northward turn to this hurricane and I sweated in Panama City, hoping it would wait. It did wait and that waiting put NO in the kill zone Friday night with a forecast for strengthening to a strong Cat 5.
The way I do the math, Friday night is more than 50 hours before landfall. That time could have been used to better advantage. All that night, I read post after post screaming at the mayor and governor to DO SOMETHING. They finally did, when Bush called them.
Thanks for the info ... I was asking the question because I didn't know the answer.