Hurricane Katrina, Live Thread, Part V

NHC - NOAA ^ | 28 August 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Extremely dangerous Hurricane Katrina is bearing down on the North Central Gulf of Mexico. Mandatory evacuation of New Orleans is finally underway. Louisiana officials are warning of complete failure to levy systems, and pleading with people to leave low lying areas. For those who choose to stay, they are recommending picks and axes for breaking through to access their roofs during flooding.

Due to the size and intensity of this storm, all interests in the North Gulf of Mexico should be rushing hurricane preparations to completion.

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:

http://www.wjbo.com - BR radio station. Callers calling in and describing traffic etc.
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
WKRG-TV/DT Mobile (WMP) - mms://wmbcast.mgeneral.speedera.net/wmbcast.mgeneral/wmbcast_mgeneral_aug262005_1435_95518

Hurricane Katrina, Live Thread, Part IV
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

[Black Tooth]

I agree. They say earthquakes are the most psychologically scary natural disasters, due to suddenness etc, but in reality, they have never done damage to my properties or my families. Scary yes, but they are mostly more bark than bite. I agree with several others here. I'd take a quake any day of the week over these things.

[filbert]

I heard that. Didn't he say that some were going to a sister station in Jackson?

I think that's right.

On another note, does anyone remember the last time a major American city was ordered to be completely evacuated? Has it ever happened before?

[Dog Gone]

I had some long discussions with professional mets at a weather forum about nuking a hurricane far from land to disrupt it. It seemed plausible to me.

As it turns out, it would probably strengthen it if it bothered it at all.

[commish]

ERC = Eyewall Replacement Cycle.

Generally these happen when a storm intensifies so rapidly that the eye from the weaker state can no longer support the new intensity, as such it collapses and a new stronger eye replaces it and the cycle starts all over again. The replacements usually sap 10-20 mph or more off the storm.

However once a storm reaches cat 4-5 and has an eyewall to support that strength, it can enter a steady state and become annular. At that point the only way an eyewall replacement will happen is if something outside influences the intensity and makes it such that the current eyewall cannot sustain itself.

[steveegg]

Ping for another live feed.

[maggief]

TWC:

20'-25' storm surge ... 30' possible

[MozartLover]

I already did.:)

[SlowBoat407]

Quakes only last a few seconds, too. It's hell being stuck in the middle of howling winds that you know aren't going away for hours.

[Revel]

" Even that could be a problem for awhile."

That is scary. It looks like tommorow is going to be "Black Monday" in more ways then one.

[monday]

"They just reported people are wandering all over Bourbon St, and the bars are packed. If they are this stupid, there is little that can be done about it. So be it."

Fox news just said lots of tourists are stranded. Can't get a plane or bus out. If the hotel they are staying at is going to remain open and management is confident it will survive the hurricane, why not go out to Bourbon St.? What else are they going to do?

It's too bad all the bus stations and air ports are closed. It would be easier to evacuate everyone now then it will be after the city is destroyed and flooded.

[Howlin]

30 miles to the east of NO is nothing, really. It's still all at the mouth of the Mississippi.

[hole_n_one]

Perhaps if Smith took this monster more seriously, others would as well.

It's gonna be very ugly.

[texgal]

Her fiance attends Tulane Law School there. She and some friends were visiting for a long weekend and did not plan to return until Tuesday morning.

Last year the fiance waited until the mayor called for and official evauation. It took him over 14 hours on I-10 to get here and he left relatively early compared to most. They got lucky last year. This year, perhaps not so lucky. Tulane is closed until at least Thursday - perhaps longer. I don't really know most of the kids who came, but I am glad they are here and they are safe. I am blessed to be able to have them here.

[mabelkitty]

Go here and report her whereabouts.
We're keeping tabs on FReepers and they're family.
Pray for dogbyte12 - just left for a shelter....

[XRdsRev]

In cemeteries far and wide,
the granite headstones glisten,

Atop the mouldering remains of those,
who heard but wouldn't listen.

[tiredoflaundry]

I know, I was being sarcastic! ;-)

[Torie]

Thanks again. I am glad you are around.

[Howlin]

Look at the stats on Camille:

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:WH21Ojgz4YYJ:www.geocities.com/hurricanene/hurricanecamille.htm+hurricanes+with+lowest+barometric+pressure&hl=en

[Caramelgal]

I live in Maryland and two years ago the REMANENTS of hurricane Isabel came through the Baltimore area.

I lived in an old neighborhood NE part of the city then. There were (and are) a lot of large old trees behind and close to the house.

I spent the night alone in a ninety-year-old house, awake, hearing the cracking and creaking of those trees, hearing some fall, waiting for one to fall on my house and watching the lights flicker on and off as the squalls came through. The Chesapeake region didn’t get that much rain and the winds were not hurricane force but nonetheless, I was a little spooked and I’m not so easily spooked.

The next morning after the storm passed and my satellite was back up, I saw the homes lost due to the storm surge that came up the bay. It took me twice as long to get to work because of trees down and traffic lights out. Many people didn’t make it to work because they were without power and remained so for days.

This was a remnant… A remnant I remind you… homes lost, millions of dollars in damage and lives disrupted. Nothing at all compared to this. I repeat… nothing. Sometimes when someone says the sky is falling, they are not kidding…

[CDHart]

Shep headed south while everyone else headed north -- I can't imagine why.

Carolyn