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August 15, 2006 Key West, Florida

Dr Heidi Lisherness was about to ht out on the tohen she took one last cursory glance at the latest iery collected by a Super Rapid Scan Operations satellite A full-figured lady with silver-gray hair pulled back in a bun, Heidi sat at her desk in green shorts and ainst the heat and huust She ca down her co But there was an indiscernible soe that came into her computer from the satellite over the Atlantic Ocean southwest of the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa She sat down and gazed more intently into the screen of her monitor

To the untrained eye the picture on the screen si over an azure blue sea Heidi saw a view e with one taken only two hours earlier The mass of cumulus clouds had increased in bulkstor and forecasting tropical hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean with the National Underwater and Marine Agency Hurricane Center She began enlarging the two ies of the infant storm formation

Her husband, Harley, a jolly-looking lasses, stepped into her office with an iist But he worked for the National Weather Service as an analyst on cliical data that was issued as weather advisories for commercial and private aircraft, boats and ships at sea "What's keeping you?" he said, pointing impatiently at his watch "I have reservations at the Crab Pot"

Without looking up, she es on her computer "These were taken two hours apart Tell me what you see"

Harley exa lasses before leaning closer for a more in-depth look Finally, he looked at his wife and nodded "One hell of a fast buildup"

"Too fast," said Heidi "If it continues at the sae a storm it will brew"

"You never know," said Harley thoughtfully "She o out like a lamb It's happened"

"True, but most storth This has mushroomed within hours"

"Too early to predict her direction or where she'll peak and do the e"

"I have a dire feeling this one will be unpredictable"

Harley smiled "You will keep me informed as she builds?"

"The National Weather Service will be the first to know," she said, lightly slapping him on the arm

"Thought of a name for your new friend yet?"

"If she becoht, I'll call her Lizzie, after the ax murderess Lizzie Borden"