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

[XRdsRev]

In a worse case scenario, if there is wide spread flooding in New Orleans that lasts days or even a week, and if they have 40,000 people stuck in the Superdome with nowhere to go, just exactly where do they expect all the sewage to go ??

I am assuming that the sanitary sewers will be knocked out by high water. 40,000 people can't hold it forever. If sewage seeps into the water or backs up, combined with the warm weather, we could be looking at outbreaks of sickness occuring very soon.

Putting 10,000 people in one place even on a normal day causes tremendous logistical problems. I can't imagine what it would be like to have 40,000 during a disaster. Why don't they have a plan to disburse these people and get them out of the area ?

[Laurita]

Snakes, Alligators and fire ant mats are going to be everywhere, too. Very unplesant, those fire ant mats. When one of them grabs you, you have an entire ant colony climbing your body all at once. They float on top of the flood waters like little rafts.

[Sprite518]

Just glanced up at Fox News...and the headline said winds now 175MPH...Not sure if you all know this already or not..

[Founding Father]

WWL reports Katrina's western edge is bumping into dry air flowing from Mexico around the Texas coast---hoping this will knock Katrina down to a Cat 4. Also, reporting a slight shift east, which would move the brunt just east of NO; southshore would still be heavily hit, but the city would be spared a direct hit.

[4everontheRight]

can anyone tell me if traffic on 49 has been reversed?

[leadpenny]

Honest, I was channel surfing and stopped on CNN because they had a live Katrina update. At the bottom of the screen it said Breaking News: Bush to speak about Katrina at Noon. I could have had a brain lock and mis read it.

[Petronski]

Anyone who isn't sufficiently depressed yet should check out these computer models of a hypothetical cat-3 hurricane making a direct hit on New Orleans.

Hurricane Pam. Right click on each map and select play to see the model animation.

[kabar]

Exactly. If these predictions are anywhere near to be accurate, this is a major disaster. The fact that 100,000 people have no means to leave the city and must be housed in the Superdome, is nonsense. Every effort must be made to get people out even if the President takes it over. Unbelievable. It is easier to get them out now then trying to navigate flooded streets to pick them up from the Superdome after the fact.

[rdl6989]

I wish they had started such an airlift about 24 hrs ago or more.

[Semper911]

I'm about 40 miles inland.

The eye is 40 miles wide. Think about it.

[bwteim]

That's a doozie.

[SE Mom]

My friend (doc who is director of all southeast VA hospitals) began evacuating VA hospitals yesterday in Gulfport, New Orleans, Biloxi and even Baton Rouge...

[mware]

I did hear on the tv that the levees were made to protect against Cat 3 hurricanes not Cat #5's

[Howlin]

Well, at least she's changed her tune from yesterday when she said "We can make this a positive experience."

[TomGuy]

[janetjanet998]

um..the superdome can't handle CAT 5 winds..it will be torn apart and the roof will come off.with 40,000 people inside

[dogbyte12]

We have decided to shelter at an emergency shelter in Prarieville, LA. Not as much worry about tree damage there, so we will be leaving this afternoon. It's only about 10 miles up the road. but it's north and west which is better.

[kabar]

Not to mention no electrical power.

[LibSnubber]

Finally, a shred of hope. Thanks for the heads up. My live stream from WWL keeps going in and out.

[cmsgop]

I heard that B$tch Mary Landrieu on CNN yesterday politicizing Katrina saying are National Guard is tied up in IRAQ,Whaaaaa!!! Boot her A$$ out of office please.