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

[fatima]

Hi best of the best.40 years ago I wonder what happened.

[Palladin]

HAHAHA! I like your graveyard humor.

In situations like this, we have to laugh to keep from crying.

[MplsSteve]

Makes total sense.

I was thinking of the taller buildings as a refuge from the inevitable flood of water.

I did think of the winds but felt that if people tried to stay away from the windows as much as possible, they might be OK.

But you're right. The best bet would be to get the hell out of NO as soon as freakin' possible.

[Torie]

I heard it all, each and every word. Well he didn't say "mortal coil" but he did say "large loss of life" and "candad and direct conversation" and "sleep at night." The guy was at once very calm and very agitated. The worry and pain in his voice was up close and personal. Science folks don't cotton to grandiloquence, but I understood his message, and put it into my own words. I think he went on TV because he felt he needed to put a bunson burner under the mayor, and everybody else who might be listening or told about it, including Bush. In fact, I hope he called Bush.

[metmom]

I topped off today too.

[Wthrman13]

That's not true, the winds on the right side of the hurricane will in general be stronger because of the forward motion of the storm adding to the counterclockwise rotational component of the wind on that side, and subtracting from it on the left side. A hurricane is not like a bowling ball: the rotation in the former is around a vertical axis, while in the latter is around a horizontal axis.

Hope this is clear.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I was ten...it made a vivid impression on me...but how many of them have been born or moved into the area since? And there are so many people there now...

After Betsy, a friend of mine was stranded in her attic with her little kids for days...nowadays, I wonder how many attics will be tall enough if the sea wall is breached....

[Flux Capacitor]

----This water could have sewage, chemical contamination, all sorts of things in it.----

You have no idea.

-Dan

[Jrabbit]

Report from niece that lives in Slidell....entire neighborhood has evacuated....she and her family went to Fla. Red Cross in NO is bussing people to the dome. Landreau says too bad so many NG are fighting in Iraq...they are needed at home to keep order. grrrrrr

Mayor of NO in denial....scared about looting if he orders evaq. Businesses could sue if they get broken into.....grrr

[beyond the sea]

They should get the word out among the criminal element that it's time to head to the underground shelters.

LOL .................... I think.

[Termite_Commander]

This water could have sewage, chemical contamination, all sorts of things in it. It could be a nightmare, or it could be another lucky miss.

I think there's a chemical plant quite close to NO that might be destroyed. Don't forget the various critters (i.e. water moccasins) from the bayou that would probably wash into New Orleans if it were flooded.

[SunnySide]

I think my cat is also clairvoyant. When ever something bad is about to happen he keeps whining at me, then if he thinks I'm not paying enough attention to him he goes and sits in the bathtub. I know it sounds weird to many but every time he's done that in the past something comes to fruition.

[bannie]

Clear.

[Prolifeconservative]

Are you evacuating?

I live in Folsom and we are considering hitting the road late in the morning tomorrow.

I know storm surge isn't a problem for us here....I'm just worried about the damned wind. On its current track, it'll head right over the northshore.

[toldyou]

Yep......left that thread months ago......

[toldyou]

Yep......left that thread months ago......

[sissyjane]

This whole thing scares me to death. I'm praying it misses NO, but it doesn't sound like that is even a possibility now.

[bannie]

I have an idea.

[toldyou]

Believe the animals!