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

[RobbyS]

Shouldnt they be going west ? There are plenty of secondary roads out there. They should be less worried about quarters than in getting out of the path of the storm.

[hole_n_one]

Good for you!

[mewzilla]

Emergency officials just released statement saying it is expected to make landfall @ 179 mph.

There still aren't words. Folks in harm's way are in our prayers.

[Altamira]

"Cafe Du Monde-beignets and chickory coffee...watching the culture go by..."

Mmmm, beignets... and the way the powdered sugar would go up one's nose if you inhaled at just the wrong moment while eating them...

We got some of our favorite art and had some of our favorite experiences in NO...I love it so much there... my heart is breaking...

[NautiNurse]

He reported earlier his family all got out to a variety of locations.

[Dog]

What is going on with the Fox info babes...they seem to have the giggles.

[spycatcher]

Riding this storm out anywhere in N.O. is like knowing that the Twin Towers were about to be hit by two jumbo jets and riding it out in one of the other WTC complex buildings.

[Howlin]

Dear God.

[jeffers]

"...but I suspect the roof will fall onto the field........"

The upoper surface of that dome is a perfect airfoil. If the wind finds a way inside, you have all the ingredients for a classical lifted roof failure.

My money's on Houston for a landing point.

[dighton]

Prayers that this thing may somehow diminish, and in any case prayers for all in harm's way.

[mewzilla]

The channel may just want more of its reporters out of harm's way?

[MamaB]

A NO station said there were 7500 people ready to move in. Won't they be coming in afterwards?

[BurbankKarl]

that too...I think the beaches in LaLaLand are 56-62 degrees year round. Except during El Nino

[Peach]

LOL. You're certainly right; they'll try to find a way to blame the president. It's the media's full time job these days.

[rollo tomasi]

TWC could be positioning their reporters in a close but "safe" distance from the worst part of the hurricane.

[gov_bean_ counter]

What is supposed to provide the impetus for the hard north turn it is supposed to take? It is almost as if this storm has outgrown any other systems ability to impact it. Like it is not just being driven by it's own inertia. I still keep seeing slight bumps due west after it has gone generally north,

[Dog Gone]

How do they evactuate 480,000 people in 12 hours or so?

You can't. Some folks could think for themselves and left long ago, of course, so the number is probably 60-90% of that number at this late date. I have no way of judging.

My guess is that at least 100,000 people will remain in the extreme danger zone, maybe twice that amount. None of them will wish that they had.

[chudogg]

Are there any live bloggers reporting from New Orleans?

[freeagle]

At some point will someone on FR post a thread of volunteer recovery efforts? My son and I will drive down from Illinois.

Thanks.

[FireTrack]

It only takes 30 minutes to get thru the express lane at Super one foods in Alexandria, 200 miles North.