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

[Petronski]

...name and next of kin's phone number in permanent ink on your body...in more than one place, in case of dismemberment.

[Wilhelm Tell]

For the area mayors/officials to be able to declare a mandatory evac, they have to have a place to put people. [Since they don't have a place to put that many people, they are prohibited from making the declaration.]

In other words, they have had years to plan for such a disaster but they never put a plan into place. Did they think that NO is magically exempt from the threat of hurricanes? They can't declare an emergency because they never planned for an emergency...?! I can't imagine such criminal stupidity. I'll shut up now. I'm too angry to say anything constructive.

[pies]

I heard that also. He was also saying that he thought he was going to have a nice relaxing evening with his family when he gets a call from the Gov. telling him that the NHC had called him (Gov) and that the mayor needed to call him and listen to what he had to say. Guy from NHC told the mayor.....this is the BIG ONE and it IS going to hit your city! It is the one NHC have dreaded for 35 years. Even after hearing that he doesn't issue mandatory evacs but encourages people to leave. I am sick of hearing his "legality" excuse. He has wasted all this time when they could have been helping all the poor people that aren't going to be able to get out. Didn't they have a plan in place for this? Makes me very angry that a lot of people are going to die due to poor planning and feet dragging.

[newzjunkey]

That graphic is psychotic with implications!

[TomGuy]

So what do YOU really think? Is it a direct hit to New Orleans, and are we being alarmists?

Around 3 a.m. it was reported to be 30 miles across --- and building. It was a Cat 4, then.



Cat 5 and 30+ miles across. Alarmist. Your choice.

[LA Woman3]

Are you listening to WWL? They just a Pastor on to say a prayer for the city of New Orleans! On the radio!

[mewzilla]

Per CNN: The AP has ordered a bug out of its NO bureau.

[timpad]

At landfall, Andrew's minimum pressure reading was 922 millibars.

Katrina's most recent report: 908 millibars.

This thing has bad intentions. Prayers for all in harm's way.

[NautiNurse]

I'll say it again--the water levels here in Tampa Bay are very high this morning, and this storm is nowhere in sight.

Mobile Bay is on the dirty side of this giant storm. The bay is going to have a lot of water shoved up into it.

[cyborg]

Is that typical of that radio station? If it isn't, they must be afraid!

[Petronski]

Apparently, large areas of the delta are slowly sinking, because the levees deprive them of silt replenishment.

Anyone have greater detail on that? I heard it on the radio a while back and don't remember it precisely.

[tenthirteen]

Here in Florida some county residents were refusing to leave in the face of a similar threat. The County Coroner instructed the Sheriff's Office to issue toe tags with the name and SS# of those who would not leave. There was almost total compliance after the reality of the situation sunk in.

[newzjunkey]

In other words, they have had years to plan for such a disaster but they never put a plan into place.

Reminds me of what I thought of NYC and the WTC. Never thought it could be hit by an aircraft? Or terror attack even after one attempt? Lack of planning killed a good many firefighters (and others) that day.

[Petronski]

Jim Cantore pointed at a casino on the oceanfront in Biloxi and speculated rather strongly: "Look at it. In all likelihood, in the aftermath of this storm, it will be gone."

[EDINVA]

Nearly everyone with two nickles to rub together has gotten out of town. You are now left with the pooorest of the poor, who couldn't scrape together busfare. I imagine that there will be a lot of looting in the Uptown area when electricity is gone and their security systems are off.

Unfortunately, the last time NO was in the path of a major 'cane, they did open the Superdome, only to have it totally trashed, with people shown on tv walking out with chairs, tv's, etc. That part of the NO population is definitely 3rd World. So, the mayor and authorities are reluctant to opening it as a shelter, but I think they will have no choice.

[SE Mom]

Listening to the various newscasts and reading between the lines..it seems the legal issues are about the thousands of people who have no vehicles to leave in- putting them at the "mercy" of the government. Remembering the reaction of those people who were evac'd to the Dome last time..I guess they're feeling their hands are tied?? It's really insane, isn't it?

[LA Woman3]

No. It is a talk radio station.

[pies]

The fact they never got around to the "plan" is probably why he needs to talk to the lawyers. There was a story on another forum last night about an elderly woman that had no way out....no car no money, 88 years old. Her neighbors were leaving, but their car was full...no room for her. So sad.

[Petronski]

FoxNews just teased a story about radio stations calling for prayer. Apparently, the story is coming right up.

[Lakeside]

"Did they think that NO is magically exempt..."

Yes, they really do. Literally. And, as I think, when Katrina hits Biloxi instead of NO the superstitious belief deepens. Magically protected from yet another hurricane.