FLHurricane.com: Category Five Hurricanes

Andrew's winds at landfall were previously estimated to be comparable to the estimates of Charley's winds at landfall. Both were very small, compact storms with a narrow swath of very intense devestation. Charley was intensifying up until landfall, yes, but as of yet there is no data to suggest it was any stronger than noted in the preliminary report: category four.

The data used to upgrade Andrew is much more readily accessible today and, in many cases, is used in real-time in forecasting and analyzing storms. Our knowledge of storm structure is greater than it was in 1992 as well. These two facts further combine to suggest that, while a very intense storm, Charley will not likely ever be upgraded to a category five hurricane.

And with such storms and topics, I'm not sure that the grinning icon is the appropriate icon.

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