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

[kenth]

I figure that's why the President issued the national disaster in the first place. These people were not doing their job and lives are going to be lost because of it. He issued it, not only to try to goad these people into doing their jobs, but to let the citizens of that area know that they are facing a disaster.

It's disgusting that a not only a mayor can't step up to the plate, but the governor as well. If a single person dies because of their delay and/or failure to act, they should be drummed out of society and definitely never see political office again.

[Crazieman]

Stupid line breaks.

[Crawdad]

We are looking at a very dangerous man.

[spycatcher]

Hampton Roads might have some trouble though when that volcano collapses and sends a 100ft wave tsunami.

[mjwise]

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200512.html

175MPH sustained, 215MPH gusts at 11AM EDT advisory. 1MB pressure drop. Just unbelieveable. Even an eyewall replacement cycle at this point won't take it below a Cat4 I think -- and that's a best case scenario probably.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Not necessarily. GFDL model has continued to move further east, now targeting Pascagoula. Of course it is just a model, and one model, but overnight the trend for many of them and the official track has been a slight shift towards the east. Will see in about 45 minutes if that continues. May not move east enough to avoid the levee breaches, but I'd be willing to bet that it does. However I am far away, and if lived anywhere near NO would have been long gone, taking no chances.

http://www.skeetobiteweather.com/picservice.asp?t=m&m=12

[Termite_Commander]

They're also expecting 20'-30' storm surges.

[SamFromLivingston]

Crazy, that mayor and governor. During the last two hurricanes headed in the direction of Alabama (Ivan, Dennis), Gov. Riley ordered I-65 closed and all lanes headed northbound as an evacuation route.

[IronMan04]

All Interstate Lanes are moving out of the City as of 4:00 on Saturday.

[advance_copy]

NHC just increased winds to 175MH!!!!!!

Oh, no, no, no. This is awful.

[NautiNurse]

Please note:

Does anyone know I-10 conditions west of Lafayette toward TX?

[Gabz]

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 205 miles.

[texan75010]

Does anyone know I-10 conditions west of Lafayette toward TX?

Bumper to bumper

[ErnBatavia]

Said the convoys of utility trucks were amazing...NJ, PA, etc. were all enroute.

That's great to hear...I had insomnia and so flipped on the tube around 3-sumpin west coast time, and they were interviewing the head guy at FEMA. He indicated they've got planned staging areas to the west, east and north and will be ready to roll the moment they can.

[navysealdad]

Winds now at 175 mph according to Weather Bureau

[maggief]

O M G!

[kx9088]

I dunno. On the NOAA forecast they show it going as far in as northern 'Bama as a hurricane.

Mayor or N.O. just said they've been updated that it has 175mph sustained winds and it's only going to get worse because of the heat and humidity associated with the area.

[R. Scott]

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

[Petronski]

This bravado about how they'll "...leave the prisoners in the jails where they belong..." is criminally negligent if those jails aren't above a waterline that could reasonably be anticipated.

[TomGuy]

Unbelievable...they need someone to take charge and make things happen. These guys are placing all their eggs in the superdomwe...but its going to fill rapidly.

Foxnews report a bit earlier said some 100,000 residents are 'city dwellers'. Meaning -- they don't even own vehicles, so they have to depend on public transportation. Those are the one who only have city shelters as an option.

Can the Superdome hold 100k plus all those who didn't get on the highways in time?

And why haven't they reversed 'incoming' lanes to allow outflow of traffic?????