Are you ready for soon-to-be Hurricane Frances?

[starroute]

Frances is currently out there in the mid-Atlantic, getting close to hurricane strength, and with a subtropical ridge steering it in the general direction of Florida. It's currently going west-northwest and looks likely to turn northwest for a bit and then back in a more westerly direction again.

At this point, of course, everything is still uncertain -- remember how Earl fizzled out? -- but the forecast at Weather Underground is already saying, "It is significant that each New Run of the global models has a forecast track farther to west...so if this trend continues...there will be interesting days ahead." (http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/at200406.disc.html)

What's particularly unsettling is the Historical Map, which shows the tracks taken by other hurricanes that passed through the current location of Frances at about this time of year. The closest match to Frances's projected path is a line near the top of the cluster, the one that turns all purple and then zooms across the southern tip of Florida. Yeah, you got it, that's Andrew.

[truthspeaker]

1. "If anyone calls me Frances, I'll kill you."

"Lighten up, Frances."