...Katrina continues weakening over Mississippi but strong winds and heavy rains still a threat...
At 4 PM CDT...2100z...the Hurricane Warning for Lake Pontchartrain and from the mouth of the Pearl River eastward to the Alabama/Florida border is changed to a Tropical Storm Warning. All other warnings are discontinued.
A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for Lake Pontchartrain and from the mouth of the Pearl River eastward to the Alabama/Florida border. This warning will likely be discontinued this evening.
For storm information specific to your area...including possible inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued by your local weather office.
At 4 PM CDT...2100z...the center of Hurricane Katrina was located near latitude 31.9 north... longitude 89.6 west or about 30 miles northwest of Laurel Mississippi.
Katrina is moving toward the north near 18 mph...and a gradual turn to the north-northeast with an additional increase in forward speed is expected during the next 24 hours. On this track the center will be moving over central and northern Mississippi tonight and into western Tennessee on Tuesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph...with higher gusts. Katrina is a category one hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Continued weakening is forecast during the next 24 hours.
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 205 miles...mainly to the southeast.
At 2 PM CDT...a wind gust to 110 mph was measured...before instrument failure...in Laurel Mississippi by Jones County emergency management.
Estimated minimum central pressure is 960 mb...28.35 inches.
Coastal storm surge flooding along the northern and northeastern Gulf of Mexico coast will slowly subside.
Storm total rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches...with isolated maximum amounts of 10 inches...will accompany Katrina from the Gulf Coast through the Tennessee and Ohio valleys.
A few tornadoes are possible over portions of central...eastern... and northern Alabama...as well as portions of western Georgia and the western Florida Panhandle this evening.
Repeating the 4 PM CDT position...31.9 N... 89.6 W. Movement toward...north near 18 mph. Maximum sustained winds... 75 mph. Minimum central pressure... 960 mb.
An intermediate advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 7 PM CDT followed by the next complete advisory at 10 PM CDT.
Forecaster Pasch
Alabama Department of Transportation
Emergency Road Closures
http://www.dot.state.al.us/closures/
Thanks for the update...and for taking on this monumental task:)
Item- just saw the FOX guy standing outside Gulfshores,AL...saying it "looks fine except for the flodding- no bad damage"...this is an interesting contrast to the report from the police (or was it fire chief?) who said he'd been there and it was total devastation.
Also saw a reporter standing on I-10 trying to drive into NO but it was covered with water so she couldn't get in.
It will take days to discover what the real deal is throughout the area.
Shoot, girl, when do you sleep?
Thanks for what you're doing to keep us goin.