Ivan is Cat 5, Florida landfall Monday?

Tampa Bay Online: Hurricane Ivan Strengthens to Category 5 Storm as It Approaches Cayman Islands; at Least 50 Dead in Caribbean

"Ivan already has killed 50 people across the Caribbean this week, including 34 in Grenada.
Millions more people are in its path..."

Latest update

"MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 165 MPH...270 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. IVAN IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR/SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY
ARE LIKELY DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES... 110 KM...
FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 175 MILES...280 KM.

AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT MEASURED A
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 912 MB...26.93 INCHES. THIS IS THE
SIXTH LOWEST CENTRAL PRESSURE ON RECORD FOR A HURRICANE IN THE
ATLANTIC BASIN.

NOAA site

could we be looking at the storm that destroys the french quarter? last i heard there was little real flood protection in louisiana's gulf coast for anything this size hitting at high tide.

The thing that worries me, is that Ivan spends some time in the Gulf and gets REALLY strong and lands in New Orleans. The forecasters predict increased wind shear wich would weaken it, but the water is EXTREMELY warm and good hurricane fodder. I saw a show years ago discussing a hurricane hitting New Orleans as being an extreme disaster potential as it's already below sea level, but I think anywhere Ivan hits is going to be a disaster. In the short term I fear for the Cayman's and Cuba, it's not gonna be pretty.