Live Thread - Hurricane Katrina, Part IV (Update: Now a Category 5 )

NOAA - NHC ^ | 27 August 2005 | NOAA - NHC

[NautiNurse]

Hurricane warnings and watches are posted. Hurricane Katrina continues to strengthen in the Gulf of Mexico. The forecast models continue to converge upon New Orleans. However, all interests in the northern Gulf of Mexico should follow the path of this very large and dangerous storm, and be prepared for a major hurricane landfall. There have been reports of coastal animals leaving in droves for higher ground. Meanwhile, New Orleans continues to suggest that residents evacuate.

The following links are self-updating:

Public Advisory Currently published every 3 hours 5A, 8A, 11A, 2P, etc. ET
NHC Discussion Published every six hours 6A, 11A, 6P, 11P
Three Day Forecast Track
Five Day Forecast Track
Navy Storm Track
Katrina Track Forecast Archive Nice loop of each NHC forecast track for both three and five day
Forecast Models
Alternate Hurricane Models via Skeetobite
Bouy Data Louisiana/Mississippi
Buoy Data Florida

Images:

New Orleans/Baton Rouge Experimental Radar Subject to delays and outages - and well worth the wait

Mobile Long Range Radar Loop

New Orleans/Baton Rouge Radar

Ft. Polk, LA Long Range Radar Loop

Northwest Florida Long Range Radar

Storm Floater IR Loop
Storm Floater Still & Loop Options
Color Enhanced IR Loop

Other Resources:

Hurricane Wind Risk Very informative tables showing inland wind potential by hurricane strength and forward motion
Central Florida Hurricane Center
New Orleans Web Cams Loads of web cam sites here. The sites have been very slow due to high traffic
New Orleans Music Online Couldn't resist--love that jazz
Golden Triangle Weather Page Nice Beaumont weather site with lots of tracks and graphics
Hurricane City
Crown Weather Tropical Website Offers a variety of storm info, with some nice track graphics

Live streaming:
copy/paste into player:

WWL-TV/DT New Orleans (WMP) - mms://beloint.wm.llnwd.net/beloint_wwltv
WVTM-TV/DT Birmingham (WMP) - mms://a1256.l1289835255.c12898.g.lm.akamaistream.net/D/1256/12898/v0001/reflector:35255
WDSU-TV/DT New Orleans (WMP) - http://mfile.akamai.com/12912/live/reflector:38202.asx
Hurricane City (Real Player) - http://hurricanecity.com/live.ram
ABCNews Now (Real Player) - http://reallive.stream.aol.com/ramgen/redundant/abc/now_hi.rm

Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part III
Katrina Live Thread, Part II
Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm 12

Category	Wind Speed	Barometric Pressure	Storm Surge	Damage Potential
Tropical Depression	< 39 mph < 34 kts			Minimal
Tropical Storm	39 - 73 mph 34 - 63 kts			Minimal
Hurricane 1 (Weak)	74 - 95 mph 64 - 82 kts	28.94" or more 980.02 mb or more	4.0' - 5.0' 1.2 m - 1.5 m	Minimal damage to vegetation
Hurricane 2 (Moderate)	96 - 110 mph 83 - 95 kts	28.50" - 28.93" 965.12 mb - 979.68 mb	6.0' - 8.0' 1.8 m - 2.4 m	Moderate damage to houses
Hurricane 3 (Strong)	111 - 130 mph 96 - 112 kts	27.91" - 28.49" 945.14 mb - 964.78 mb	9.0' - 12.0' 2.7 m - 3.7 m	Extensive damage to small buildings
Hurricane 4 (Very strong)	131 - 155 mph 113 - 135 kts	27.17" - 27.90" 920.08 mb - 944.80 mb	13.0' - 18.0' 3.9 m - 5.5 m	Extreme structural damage
Hurricane 5 (Devastating)	Greater than 155 mph Greater than 135 kts	Less than 27.17" Less than 920.08 mb	Greater than 18.0' Greater than 5.5m	Catastrophic building failures possible

[lifacs]

Weather Channel is reporting 175 MPH winds now. God help the people of NO

How about...

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 205 MILES.

I'm afraid many, many people are going to need god's help.

[Not A Snowbird]

Okay, good. Fox must be showing old footage.

I can't reach my old boss, who still lives on the west bank, but he's a smart dude. I'm sure he's long gone out of the city.

[steveegg]

Yep. While only a dozen feet above sea level, I'm about 40 miles inland.

I hope you're on high ground and in a VERY sturdy building. This thing's going to flood everything that it doesn't blow away.

[Major_Risktaker]

Does the Mayor ALWAYS sound stoned?

Super Stoned!

The people of New Orleans
need military transport
out of town NOW!

[Laurita]

Negative. If the correct quadrant of the hurricane hits the mouth of the Mississippi River at high tide, the storm surge will make it backflow and breach it's levees all the way up to Baton Rouge. East is worse.

[NautiNurse]

jetbanana--see post 1606. Thank you LA Woman3!

[Petronski]

The deepwater oil and gas facilities are in harm's way.

We are going to pay....the least of the problems, to be sure...but we are all going to pay.

[oceanview]

yeah, that press conference didn't inspire too much confidence.

I don't see any news footage of the evacuation in progress; the roads, etc. are people getting out?

I hope FEMA and anything else the federal government can provide is mobilizing.

[Carolinamom]

Thanks. I hope she moved out of the hurricane's path DAYS ago. Ping me, please, if you hear from her.

[TomGuy]

175 mph SUSTAINED now per FoxNews

[southernnorthcarolina]

"Do they think they can survive 10 weeks in a high rise building?"

no electricity .. no AC, no elevator, probably windows that don't open .. not a good scenario.

Oh, those windows will be "open" if New Orleans takes a direct hit. Heavy "commercial grade" windows may be able to withstand 100+ mph winds, but not debris flying at 100+ mph. And of course, once the debris starts flying, with tree limbs and roofing materials flying around and breaking windows, more airborne debris results.

[rickylc]

with a 210 mile wide path of hurricane force winds, is it going to make a difference if it goes a little farther east?

Lord, I hope so.

[Dad yer funny]

yup , I'm sure the subcontractors that maintain the exterior of the Superdome have certain knowledge of MAX stress levels on leading edges and surfaces , glad I'm not being asked if it'll hold up

[advance_copy]

About an hour ago, TWC said tropical storm force winds (35mph) will start 6-9 hours. If people are stuck on the roads when winds are anywhere near 175mph, their cars will be thrown around along with all of the other debris. That assumes they are not under water.

[maggief]

Thanks. Poor coverage by FNC.

[oceanview]

but still, it it hits east of NO, that means that the northeast quadrant which typically contains the worst of it - will hit east of NO. I understand what you mean about the flooding.

[Amelia]

He recommended people fill their bathtubs with water to drink when they get back!

I always thought the water in the bathtubs was to bathe & flush the toilets with (assuming the septic system still worked at all).

[GnuHere]

I thought that was going to happen last evening - and now SSDD!

[newzjunkey]

City Councilman??? Louisiana's got some real 'leadership' problems, doesn't it?