August 29, with satellite pictures showing an eye. Until September 1, all ships kept out of range of the hurricane, leaving satellite imagery as the only method for obtaining information. The August 30 ESSA-6 satellite image of the hurricane showed a circular eye embedded in a nearly circular central dense overcast (CDO) spanning 5° of latitude in diameter. Inflow was apparent in feeder bands from the south, but a large area of dry air and clear skies spanned to the north and west of the hurricane. It was estimated that the hurricane was at its peak intensity at this time. On August 31, the CDO had shrunk, but the cyclone still maintained intensity until September 1, when the hurricane had moved over cooler water and began to weaken due to cold inflow. Around this time, an unnamed ship passing north of the center going eastward reported winds of and to high seas. The weakening of the hurricane accelerated, becoming uncoupled from the warm waters and losing its cirrus cap, exposing the center. An Air Force reconnaissance plane sent to investigate the storm on September 2 showed that the hurricane had weakened into a tropical storm. However, the cyclone was so disorganized at this time that the observer remarked that there was a possibility that Liza was no longer even a tropical storm. The storm continued to evaporate and was downgraded to a depression on September 4 and drifted southwestward until it dissipated on September 6. Disputes There are two disputes between the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, the best track data, and the post-season report concerning the hurricane. The first involved the peak intensity of the hurricane. The post-season report released by the Environmental Science Services Administration noted that the winds recorded by the unknown ship on September 1 were received two days after cool inflow, and gave the hurricane a peak intensity estimate of on August 30, making Liza a Category 3 hurricane and the most intense hurricane of the season. However, the JTWC and the best track data both gave peak intensities equivalent to the ship report on September 1. Liza was the first of three hurricanes of the season that was thought to have reached Category 3 strength. The other two were Pauline and Rebecca. Another dispute exists concerning the track the hurricane took, specifically between the downgrade to tropical depression and dissipation. The best track and ESSA