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

[jetbanana]

No, I can't get 870am. I can receive stations in TX, but for some reason, no stations east of me. I'll keep trying!

[cyborg]

Folks in mobile homes probably don't want to leave. They probably won't have anything when they come back :(

[cschroe]

You think with 275 miles of water that is 90 degrees plus and minimal shear this could come close?

[mewzilla]

Well, the disaster part I can get a handle on. We had Agnes up here in '72. We lived with the aftereffects of her visit for quite a while. It's physical aspect of the storm itself, the energy it generates, that I can't get a grasp of. How the thing does what it does. It's just horrifically awesome.

[SE Mom]

Sure is beginning to look that way, isn't it?

[Sally'sConcerns]

I think it's already been declared a Cat 5.

[cincinnati65]

Put simply, for New Orleans: This IS the worst case scenario.

[NautiNurse]

This storm is so huge--the tide way over here is about to breech the sea wall.

[Lessismore]

The strike probabilities of the center passing within 65 nautical miles of the following places at 4 am CDT was:

11% Panama City
19  Pensacola
23  Mobile
26  Gulfport
30  Buras, LA
29  New Orleans
24  New Iberia
12  Port Arthur

[Ellesu]

If you have any questions regarding road closures, and evacuations... You can call the State Police hotline number... 1-800-469-4828. If you are wondering about the availability of hotel rooms in other parts of the state not affected by Katrina, you can call 1-800-994-8626. This number is being offered by the Louisiana Department of Tourism.

[newzjunkey]

I just don't have a grasp on what this is like being another southern CA dweller. I've been in tropical storms but no tornadoes or hurricanes.

[NautiNurse]

Great info Ellesu--thank you very much.

[advance_copy]

This could be the end of New Orleans.

[cincinnati65]

And there will be no less than 500 people in the Quarter having "Hurricane parties".

[cschroe]

My sister-in-law bugged out of New Orleans yesterday morning, driving her four kids, four dogs, and two cats up to Baton Rouge where she boarded the animals. Long trek timewise for short distance. Think she's headed west today. Her husband took a much less congested and faster route to definitive safety, flying his Super Hornet up to a base in MD, as his squadron was scrambled out of NO. He's with VFA-204 River Rattlers. He had it easy compared to my sister-in-law Katie! Like they say: "Wife: Toughest Job in Naval Aviation"

[cyborg]

The party will be over when it's too late. They'll try to call the police and of course someone will try to rescue the darwin candidates out of their mess.

[Carolinamom]

In that bumper to bumper traffic leaving NO, there is the real possibility of some cars running out of gas and blocking other cars behind them.

[newzjunkey]

Could be an end to the historical French Quarter.

[NautiNurse]

Heard a report in the wee hours the trip from NO to BR took six hours.

[kingu]

I've been through a weak typhoon on an island. I've seen how far the storm surge can go through. I can't imagine this.