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

[texpat72]

I heard a reporter on Fox News reading that report from the National Weather Service. Do you have the complete copy of that warning?

[firequarrel]

I don't know if this has been covered...but for what I could find, high tide will be an hour or so before the storm is supposed to go on shore. So the storm surge level will probably be as high as it can possibly be--the worst case scenario.

[hole_n_one]

FNC: In NO, go to at least 3 stories above ground level.

[Torie]

Did you mean to post to me? Is that the predicted landfall now? In any event, 30 miles east is within the alley where Lake Pontchatrain becomes a Bay of Fundy, and rises like a bathtub filling.

[oceanview]

I don't see any of the forecasters talking about it going west. However, when you look at the satellite imagery, you still don't see that turn to due north, maybe something will change and it will continue west, far enough to make a difference.

[maggief]

I visited Biloxi after Camille ... devastating.

[SlowBoat407]

I sat out Isabel in Norfolk. It was nothing compared to this, and it was bad enough. Power out for a week, roads inaccessible for days, gas lines, sewage backing up.

[steveegg]

Check that ping. It's the http version of the mms feed for WWL you had up already.

[Lijahsbubbe]

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

I really like Shep. Hope he has a fast exit outta there.

[samantha]

This Katrina babe may be a lot more devastating than Camille on Aug 17, 1969. Camille was a Cat 5 909 mb and BP of 26.84 until now only the Florida Keys 1935 Cane had a lower rate of 892 mb and 26.35 BP. Camille had storm surge of 22.25 feet above mean sea level. Camille was thought to be the most intense storm to hit the USA, that is until now. It did terrible damage in Alabama,Virginia, W Virginia,and Tennessee. 27 inches fell in one location in the Southeastern US. I hope that we have a Nationwide Pray in to knock it out before it does it's devils work.

[Founding Father]

Per WWL:

25 mph gusts in Baton Rouge; 31 mph winds at Grand Isle; 45-50 foot waves near the eye; some water starting to flow into Lake Pontchartrain; no longer a chance for much of a wobble to the east of any importance; N.O. gets hit; Superdome officials not worried about anything but keeping the folks inside ALIVE; superdome rapidly filling to capacity; alternate sites will then be open; still urging people to leave; superdome capacity 20-30,000 people; electricity to be out, bottom levels and field expected to be underwater; officials only concern, "WILL YOU BE ALIVE ON TUESDAY."

[GOP_Proud]

< I'd take a quake any day of the week over these things. >

Unless you're on an interstate that pancakes down on you, I guess.

Not me...I like the feeling of being warned and getting out of Dodge.

[shield]

Shep doesn't have a Mississippi accent whatsoever...must've taken voice lessons to rid self of that wonder southern accent...to bad...I like to hear that dark haired financial reporter on FoxNews...definitely a great Georgia or NC accent...

[PAR35]

Almost all commercial building such as those in the downtown area (not the quarter) will not even notice a CAT 5 storm.

Ever seen a high rise building that has been hit by a tornado? Water will take out the mechanical systems. The building may have to be stripped down to the shell before it can be re-built.

Google up the Bank One Tower in Fort Worth (about 2000) or the 1970 incident in Lubbock (the building still has a slight twist in the upper floors.) There may have been one in Kalamazoo between those two.

Best bet is to hide in the rest rooms.

[pax_et_bonum]

Debris, some very heavy and deep, in the rising water can cause unanticipated problems.

After a lot of flooding about twelve years ago, a pipeline on the bed of the San Jacinto River (east of Houston) was damaged by debris in the swift current releasing a flammable substance and caused a huge explosion on the river. Luckily, I don't think anyone was injured.

Also, one of the I10 bridges over the same river (one is east-bound, the other west-bound) was hit and damaged, causing traffic problems for months.

[Fudd Fan]

Isabel was devastating to the mid-Atlantic region. I have family in eastern Virginia and the damage from Isabel was apparent even a year later.

[IndyTiger]

Fox news interview with NO electrical power manager...expects power outages to last between 2 - 6 weeks minimum for most.

[Michael Goldsberry]

"high tide will be an hour or so before the storm is supposed to go on shore."

Oh, man! The nightmare made worse.

[Muzzle_em]

Is Shep IN NO?
Perhaps he too will get stuck there.
He won't see the "entertainment of it all" watching it from ground zero, will he?

[mathluv]

Prayers for your wife, and all of the others who CAN NOT leave.