Can a hurricane even do this? ?

Question

http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm7/atl7projectedpath_large.html

gustav hits Haiti stops, turns south, lines up with Jamaica and then continues on its original trajectory. Is this common in hurricanes.... examples? Im not saying we are controlling the weather or anything. It just seems like a strange way to line up New Orleans again, thats all!!!

Answer 1

hurricanes can meander around slowly due to the presence of other  high and low pressure systems near by, it aint a conspiracy, no one is planning anything.  Learn a little more about weather systems and it will become more clear.

Answer 2

Don't remind us...Sigh.

Answer 3

What happened is not uncommon with disorganized tropical cyclones.  When Gustav moved across Haiti and Hispaniola, it's center got rather torn up by the mountainous terrain on that island.  As a result, a new center of circulation likely reformed over the waters to the south of the island.  The new center then continued to move in the same general westward direction and crossed over Jamaica.  Jamaica is not as large or mountainous, thus the new center survived the crossing there, though Gustav was weakened a little.  Now it is moving toward the Gulf, and it is just by chance it is forecast to track toward the central Gulf coast.

Answer 4

hurricanes could move in that path.