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

[spycatcher]

Thank the Lord that Cindy Sheehan is being wiped off the map!

[Sonar5]

Yes it is falling. You just don't get it do you, troll.

This is shaping up to be the worst storm in our nation's history. Your inability to recognize this, is an issue I pray you get resolved. Thousands may die in this storm.

[mware]

Actually I hand it to Shep for trying to convince them to leave.

All the Fox reporters who have interviewed people hanging out have warned them about the danger.

I think the guy who was talking to the two people who where going to hold up in the fourth floor of the hotel, may have changed their minds.

[steveegg]

Jeff Head dug up a list of the most-intense tropical storms (link). The Labor Day Hurricane hit at 892 mb, Gilbert was measured at 888 mb, and Typhoon Tip over in the Pacific holds the measured record at 870 mb.

[RDTF]

I was thinkin the same thing!! Yesterday I was ticked Katrina kept them from reporting on the rallylive, but it may be a blessing in disguise, if there is anything good about this.

[Admin Moderator]

Stay off this thread.

[southernnorthcarolina]

Laurie can DHUE anything she darn well wants to..the lady is simply magnificent..

And she is, I'm proud to say, a Tar Heel grad.

[Laurita]

Good point. In addition, how old are these structures? I know the Superdome is at least 25 years old. A buildings specs don't get better with age.

[tiredoflaundry]

Everyone's nerves are raw already, only to get worse!

[pax_et_bonum]

Not cool.

Lots of people probably won't survive this storm.

[Windcatcher]

I'm late to the thread...have the enviro-wackos started spouting off yet?

"If only you people had been electing *environmentalists* over the years (who usually turn out to also be Socialists and Marxists, by odd coincidence), then NO might have been *saved*. If you would only stop worshipping those false idols like *Jesus* and worship Gaia, the One True Goddess..."

Maybe they're waiting for the aftermath, or perhaps we'll see it in The Day After Tomorrow II: Katrina.

/sarc

[flutters]

Shep: The time to get out has passed.

I'm watching live tv on the net and the lady is reporting that most roads are still open. One of the tunnels is closed, but people still traveling out.

[Torie]

This just seems like a disaster novel, written to be made into a Hollywood disaster movie, the whole thing.

[tiredoflaundry]

camp cindy.

Cindy who? ;-)

[Dog Gone]

Almost all commercial building such as those in the downtown area (not the quarter) will not even notice a CAT 5 storm. A few windows will break, but thats all.

My gawd, that is so delusional.

[Jeff Head]

No...the sky is not falling. But the picitures of this monster are real, the barometric pressure readings are real...and anyone in the path of its 180 MPH+ winds and storm surge is going to experience deadly reality.

To discount that is plain foolishness. People need to get out of the way or seek high ground...safe, sheltered high ground.

[mvpel]

The Super Dome was built knowing that a CAT 5 storm would come. Almost all commercial building such as those in the downtown area (not the quarter) will not even notice a CAT 5 storm. A few windows will break, but thats all.

This image shows tornado damage to a building in Fort Worth, Texas. This hurricane will generate similar wind speeds for long, long periods of time. Yes, the frame of the building is still standing, but would you have wanted to be inside it while "a few windows" were broken by flying debris and pressure differentials?