[montanus]

besides they generally use .90 as the multiplier...

Yeah, I know, but for whatever reason they ain't doing it this time. I was doing the multiply by .9 thing and was getting it wrong. But then I remembered there being a reason why very strong hurricanes use the .85 multiplier. I don't remember the precise reason why .85 multiplier is used, but it may have something to do with the low pressuring making the standard flight level much lower.

[raygun]

Way too high of a multiplier.

Powell & Black studies of dropsonde and bouy data suggest that 63% to 73% to be much more reasonable ratios that what is popularly promulgated. NHC has often come under criticism with their wind speed estimates. However, in the case of hurricane Mitch (1998), the wind speed profile was unique. More recent studies done by Hock & Franklin using GPS based dropwindsonde in 1999, gave the first clear cut view of eyewall wind profile (with accuracy of 15' and 1-4MPH).

See: Eye Wall wind-profiles

[MikefromOhio]

well about 20 minutes later, the storm is now a CAT 5....

Dear God in Heaven....