The charts were consistent with NHC except for the time NHC had it going up off the east shore.
One thing that most people don't know is the definition of sustained wind speed. It refers to the highest one-minute average wind (at an elevation of 10 meters with an unobstructed exposure) associated with that weather system at a particular point in time. Yet when everyone uses sustained vs. gusts in the course of the storm they're not thinking in those terms.
Some gusts would make that. This storm did sustain high winds in the Caribbean for longer periods of time, but the long time over Cuba took a lot out of it. Then when it ran on shore. Tampa did actually record gusts over 140 mph and we supposedly hit 110 although I have no idea if that's an official number. Our friend who was measuring hit only a top of 101.
I'd hate being a meteorologist because you're damned if you do and damned if you don't on a hurricane. They do intentionally warn of the worst possibilities. I really have no argument with that.
Now, where I had the problem with government officials, with television, with everyone was on their approach to evacuation. Officially, you evacuate only for storm surge (or flooding in event of a flood). Yet, over and over they would all start warning people they felt should evacuate because of the winds. Over history there have been various changes in terms of how to rate a hurricane, warnings, evacuation. I don't have the answers.
I do think perhaps more were evacuated than necessary, but ultimately we must be doing something right if we have very few deaths. People who felt they were prepared to deal with it didn't have to evaluate. We didn't. Mandatory evacuation in Florida is just a term as there is no law requiring it. But most are not that well prepared. There were some homeless in evacuation zones taken in by law enforcement under other laws simply to get them to safety.
I'm sure there were mistakes made but for now we've still got storms. I'm sure all the actions and decisions will be looked at and evaluated at the appropriate time.