...Dangerous Hurricane Katrina begins to move toward the west-northwest...
A Hurricane Watch is in effect along the northern Gulf Coast from Intracoastal City to the Alabama-Florida border.
A Hurricane Warning will likely be required for portions of the northern Gulf Coast later tonight. Interests in this area should monitor the progress of Katrina.
For storm information specific to your area...including possible inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued by your local weather office.
At 7 PM CDT...0000z...the center of Hurricane Katrina was located near latitude 24.8 north...longitude 85.9 west or about 360 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Katrina has begun to move toward the west-northwest near 7 mph. This general motion should continue tonight and Sunday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph...with higher gusts. Katrina is a category three hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours...and Katrina could become a category four hurricane later tonight or Sunday.
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 160 miles. NOAA buoy 42003 located northwest of the center recently reported sustained winds of 54 mph with a gust to 64 mph and 25-foot waves.
The latest minimum central pressure reported by an Air Force reconnaissance plane was 944 mb...27.88 inches.
Data from buoys indicate that 12-foot waves are already approaching portions of the northern Gulf Coast. Storm surge flooding along the southwestern coast of Florida should subside tonight.
Katrina is expected to produce additional rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches over extreme western Cuba...and 1 to 3 inches of rainfall is expected over the Yucatan Peninsula. Heavy rains from Katrina should begin to affect the central Gulf Coast Sunday evening. Rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches...with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches...are possible across the central Gulf Coast.
Repeating the 7 PM CDT position...24.8 N... 85.9 W. Movement toward...west-northwest near 7 mph. Maximum sustained winds...115 mph. Minimum central pressure... 944 mb.
The next advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 10 PM CDT.
Forecaster Avila
it is starting the turn now just exactly like the NHC track called for.
NOT GOOD.