From the National Hurricane Center:

SATELLITE IMAGES AND RADAR DATA FROM GUADELOUPE INDICATE THAT IRENE HAS CHANGED LITTLE IN THE PAST 6 HOURS. THE CENTER REDEVELOPED
ABOUT 60 NMI FARTHER NORTH INTO THE DEEP CONVECTION. HOWEVER...A NARROW WEDGE OF DRY AIR HAS BEEN ENTRAINED INTO THE NORTHERN AND
WESTERN QUADRANTS...WHICH HAS ERODED SOME OF THE INNER CORE CONVECTION NEAR THE LOW-LEVEL CENTER. AS A RESULT...THE INITIAL
INTENSITY REMAINS AT 45 KT...WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY A SATELLITE INTENSITY ESTIMATE OF T3.0/45 KT FROM TAFB. THE NEXT HURRICANE
HUNTER AIRCRAFT SCHEDULED TO RECONNOITER IRENE WILL BE 1200 UTC.

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THE INITIAL MOTION ESTIMATE IS AN UNCERTAIN 280/18 DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY IN THE INITIAL POSITION. 00Z UPPER-AIR DATA FROM THE
NORTHERN CARIBBEAN ISLANDS AND BERMUDA INDICATE A FAIRLY STOUT DEEP-LAYER SUBTROPICAL RIDGE EXISTS TO THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF
IRENE. THE RESULTANT MODERATE EASTERLY STEERING FLOW SHOULD KEEP THE CYCLONE MOVING IN A GENERAL WESTWARD TO WEST-NORTHWESTWARD
DIRECTION FOR THE NEXT 72 HOURS OR SO. AFTER THAT...A WEAKNESS IN THE RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE EASTERN GULF OF
MEXICO...FLORIDA...AND THE EXTREME WESTERN ATLANTIC...WHICH SHOULD ALLOW IRENE TO TURN NORTHWESTWARD ACROSS HAITI AND EASTERN CUBA AND
EMERGE OVER THE FLORIDA STRAITS IN ABOUT 96 HOURS. ALL OF THE MODELS ARE IN EXCELLENT AGREEMENT ON THIS DEVELOPING TRACK SCENARIO
EXCEPT FOR THE UKMET AND GFDL MODELS. THOSE LATTER TWO MODELS KEEP IRENE ON A WESTERLY TRACK SOUTH OF CUBA AND THROUGH THE YUCATAN
CHANNEL...DESPITE THEIR DEVELOPING A SIMILAR BREAK IN THE RIDGE AXIS OVER FLORIDA BY DAYS 4 AND 5...AND ARE CONSIDERED OUTLIERS AT
THIS TIME. THE OFFICIAL FORECAST TRACK IS NORTH OF THE PREVIOUS ADVISORY TRACK MAINLY DUE TO THE MORE NORTHWARD INITIAL POSITION...
AND LIES CLOSE TO THE CONSENSUS MODELS TVCN AND TVCA.

THE UPPER-LEVEL ENVIRONMENT IS EXPECTED TO BE QUITE FAVORABLE FOR STRENGTHENING THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST PERIOD AS A RESULT OF LOW
SHEAR AND A MID-OCEANIC TROUGH TO THE EAST ACTING AS A MASS SINK FOR THE OUTFLOW IN THE EASTERN SEMICIRCLE. HOWEVER...THE INTENSITY
FORECAST IS HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON HOW MUCH INTERACTION IRENE HAS WITH THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OF HISPANIOLA AND WHAT THE INNER CORE
OF THE CYCLONE BECOMES AFTER IT EMERGES OFF THE NORTHEAST COAST OF CUBA IN ABOUT 4 DAYS. ONCE OVER THE FLORIDA STRAITS...HOWEVER...
IRENE WILL HAVE AT LEAST 24 HOURS OVER SOME OF THE WARMEST WATER IN THE ATLANTIC TO TAP INTO. THE OFFICIAL FORECAST REMAINS ON THE
CONSERVATIVE SIDE DUE TO LAND EFFECTS AND IS CLOSE TO A BLEND OF SHIPS AND LGEM STATISTICAL INTENSITY MODELS.

SATELLITE IMAGES REVEAL THAT THE CLOUD PATTERN IS A LITTLE BETTER
ORGANIZED THAN YESTERDAY WHEN THERE WAS AN EXPOSED LOW LEVEL
CENTER. TODAY THE CENTER IS WELL EMBEDDED IN THE CONVECTION WITH
CYCLONICALLY CURVED CONVECTIVE BANDS...A POSSIBLE CENTRAL DENSE
OVERCAST...AND MORE SIGNIFICANTLY...THE OUTFLOW HAS BECOME
ESTABLISHED IN ALL QUADRANTS. HOWEVER...DATA FROM THE
RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT EARLIER THIS MORNING SUGGEST THAT THE WINDS
REMAIN AT 45 KNOTS AND THE CENTRAL SURFACE PRESSURE IS STEADY. 

THE INTENSITY FORECAST IS MORE COMPLEX THAN USUAL. THE CYCLONE IS
FORECAST TO INTERACT WITH THE HIGH TERRAIN OF HISPANIOLA AND
EASTERN CUBA AND THAT IMPLIES WEAKENING. IN ADDITION...GLOBAL
MODELS WEAKEN OR DISSIPATE THE CYCLONE...AND OBVIOUSLY THESE MODELS
CAN DETECT AN UNFAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT THAT IS NOT APPARENT TO ME.
THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO FORECAST INTENSIFICATION WITH SUCH
INDICATIONS FROM THE RELIABLE GUIDANCE. ON THE OTHER HAND...SHIPS
AND THE GFDL/HWRF MODEL PAIR INTENSIFY THE CYCLONE. GIVEN THIS HIGH
DEGREE OF UNCERTAINTY...THE OFFICIAL FORECAST CALLS FOR NO
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN INTENSITY...OR PERHAPS FOR A SLIGHT WEAKENING
AS THE CYCLONE MOVES BY HAITI AND CUBA DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
SOME RE-INTENSIFICATION IS POSSIBLE ONCE EMILY REACHES THE AREA OF
THE BAHAMAS. 

SATELLITE AND RECONNAISSANCE PLANE FIXES INDICATE THAT EMILY IS
MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST OR 285 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS.  GLOBAL
MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW A WEAKNESS IN THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE AND A
TROUGH ALONG THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES. THIS PATTERN
FAVORS A TURN TO THE NORTHWEST WITHIN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS WITH
A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST BETWEEN 48 AND 72 HOURS.
IT IS UNCERTAIN HOW FAR WEST EMILY WILL REACH BEFORE RECURVATURE...
PRIMARILY GIVEN THAT GLOBAL MODELS WEAKEN OR DISSIPATE THE CYCLONE.
THE OFFICIAL FORECAST TRACK KEEPS THE CENTER OF EMILY WELL OFF THE
EAST COAST OF FLORIDA...AND GIVEN THE SMALL TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WIND RADII ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE CYCLONE...A TROPICAL STORM
WATCH FOR THE FLORIDA SOUTHEAST COAST IS NOT REQUIRED AT THIS TIME.