Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part VI

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

[NautiNurse]

Extremely dangerous Hurricane Katrina is bearing down on the North Central Gulf of Mexico and New Orleans metro area. Thousands of people did not evacuate New Orleans. Outer bands of Katrina are reaching the Louisiana coast.

Due to the size and intensity of this storm, all interests in the North Gulf of Mexico should be in their safe locations.

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:

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

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

[maggief]

Yes, 'cuz it's very difficult to smile today, sw.

[Peach]

What is TD-13 that just formed in the Atlantic?

[MplsSteve]

I have a feeling that the New Orleans Bowl (www.neworleansbowl.com) and the Sugar Bowl (www.nokiasugarbowl.com) may be cancelled as well if everything goes as badly as thought.

[hole_n_one]

Carl s/b Karl

[MikefromOhio]

NO has the ONLY supertanker hub for the US. At least that is what has been reported.

This is a disaster of MONUMENTAL proportions.

so we could steal all the Iraqi oil we want, but very little of it would hit the markets at this point.

W needs to dip into the strategic reserve. I think this qualifies.

[mhking]

TD-13 just formed in the Atlantic.

Damn.

[mware]

this guy they are interviewing right now sounds like that guy in Tremors who had a bomb shelter in his cellar.

[leilani]

Thanks so much, guys. Your comments really have helped. I know it's not my daddy in there, and I know if he were here he'd have something wickedly funny to say about the whole situation to make me feel better. I just so very much wish I could hear what he would say- I miss his sense of humor more than anything. Thanks again yall - FR is just the greatest.It's like having a free therapist on call 24/7!

[Churchillspirit]

Heard that. Very frightening.

Also a former member of the LA National Guard? remembers the scene after Camille and was appalled by the sight of so many dead bodies - not from the storm but from snake bites. The snakes had moved in land to escape the sea water.

[TomB]

) Also how come they do no have military C-130s airlifting those people who cannot get out? The ride would be quite uncomfortable, but that seems better than sitting out a Cat-5. If I was a governor I would definitely have explored that option.

Who do you take and who do you turn away?

With 10 of thousands of people, how many flights will that take?

How do you get them from the city to the airport?

Where do you put the remaining people when it gets too dangerous to fly?

[Spktyr]

I believe that someone stated that it's the strongest building in NO.

God help them.

[rwfromkansas]

hurricane-force winds will extend over 100 miles inland.

[randita]

I wonder if the President is doing anything in an attempt to blunt the impact that oil prices will take due to this.

Depending on how the oil rigs fare, this would be just the type of crisis which would trigger releasing some of the strategic oil reserves, IMO. Others may disagree, wanting to let market forces work and for people to alter their behaviors to save gas.

[the Deejay]

they have to do weapons and contraband searches for a public emergency like this?

I wondered that, too. But, there are nutcases out there. SuperDome is a very good place for a terrorist.

[MikefromOhio]

soemthing with Fs I would guess :)

[Amityschild]

I was in Portland when Mt. St. Helens erupted in 1981. The interviews I am hearing with people who are staying in their homes or riding it out somehow all remind me of Harry Truman who refused to leave Spirit Lake. It is so eerie.

[Veto!]

Quite the devastating report in your post 106. Looks like the French Quarter will be flattened....along with destruction in every other part of the city.

This is very hard to contemplate. How can any American be expected to live without New Orleans?

[steveegg]

My mouse says it's about 32 miles across. Definitely not fun.

[leilani]

And daybreakcoming - almost forgot you too! See post above. Thanks!

[mhking]

Any idea what the roof structure is made of?

Reinforced concrete.