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

[wardaddy]

Camille and the FL Keys Labour Day 1935 un-named storm and Andrew are the only three Cat 5 hurricanes known to have made landfall in the USA.

And strength is in the same order.

This storm sure has the potential.

Low millibars and warm assed water ahead of it....and no cool air high moving in from the NW to deflect and weaken it like a later season storm faces.

This is optimal conditions for a big one.

[james_f_hall]

I think I'd take I10 out of town and head for Texas! If I lived in Louisiana. Just to be different.

[silentknight]

Forecast models show waves up to 50' (which actually might be a bit low). Those waves would be primarily out over open water. There would be a storm surge on top of that though near the coast. Unclear as to what height the waves would actually be at the shoreline.

[STARWISE]

I noticed that, too, a couple of hours ago. Drunken people doing their karaoke in the bar, people leisurely strolling Bourbon St. ... what are they thinking???

[spetznaz]

I believe anything a cat tells me. Seriously, I learnt never to take cat talk for granted. Sometimes 'animals' can know things that humans long lost the ability to comprehend. If your cat is going wacko there is a very good reason for it. I'd take heed.

[BurbankKarl]

They will just go up to the higher floors....

EUROS are fickle people....I saw one lean out over the Grand Canyon railing as a joke, both feet off the ground..., and then almost slipped.

He thought it was hilarious.

[The Westerner]

Is that the largest looking hurricane you've ever seen?

[Reagan80]

Well,

You know the area better than I;

I'm looking at a Louisiana DOT Traffic Cam at I-10 and Williams Blvd, facing Eastbound near Metairie; and it was virtually empty at 5:27pm.

Just don't wait too long. Tomorrow morning, people will jam those roadways.

Godspeed...

Reagan80

[Flux Capacitor]

----Yeah just in time for the bars to close on Burbon St... A bunch of drunks trying to get out of dodge, a really smart move.----

I keep seeing these clowns on the news streams. They're gonna end up with a lot more to drink than they ever bargained for.

This sucker's close to a 5.

-Dan

[thecabal]

Hey! Glad to see you around!

Good to see you too, my friend. I still skulk around here from time to time. :)

This one's shaping up to be pretty ugly, isn't it?

[wardaddy]

A moored Gulf bouy about an hour ago at 84-26 or about 120 miles due east of the storm center had 70 knots and 40 foot short frequency rollers (the worst kind btw)

[stlnative]

Thank you!

[RepublicanArmy]

I agree.. I've never drank during a Hurricane, I may be weird by the standards down here but I like to have my head on straight when dealing with this kinda stuff...

[M. Espinola]

Thanks for that detailed link of Hurricane Betsy. Very interesting photos.

Here is a NOAA image of Hurricane Katrina

[M. Espinola]

Thanks for that detailed link of Hurricane Betsy. Very interesting photos.

Here is a NOAA image of Hurricane Katrina

[de Buillion]

"Hugo was a 5 as well (1985"

"Hugo was a 4 and it was 1989"

I'm not siding with either of you, but confusion arises on this subject about Max category attained, and Category at landfall. The year, however, I don't believe, is subject to confusion.

[JUMPIN JEHOSPOHAT]

I betcha that is what he said. I never caught his name, did you?

[Figment]

"It was 1900, not 1906. :) "


Yes, the most devastating was in 1900, there was another catastrophic hurricane to hit Galveston in 1910

[liberty2004]

Godspeed...

thank you. going to rest a bit. We have a busy time in a few hours. I fear my city my be gone, it is so sad to ponder. Please pray for us. goodnight

[spycatcher]

Oh, I agree that people could have done their own research or just visited Drudge and GOT OUT!

But I feel sorry for the people who aren't media savvy in the backwoods of southern La. or whatever who need a lot of extra attention on this thing before the reality would hit them all. Otherwise the news just travels too slowly.

Basically I guess I'm saying the national media should have informally done the job of the mayor or governor by scaring everyone with the potential impact in a non-mandatory way. Allowing everyone to go to bed tonight without the fear of God being put in them was a huge gamble. They should have been specifially warned about the chance that if they didn't leave overnight while roads were as free as they'll ever be, that they could be trapped on the roads after waking up to a Catagory 4/5.