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Posted on 08/28/2005 9:35:34 AM PDT by 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
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 |
Radio just said a 200 mph gust was recorded. Also said evacuation advised, not mandatory for Ascension Parish.
Agree. Same here.
The highways are all one way out of town since 4PM yesterday. You just can't see on those blasted video cams that the contraflow starts outside their view. The inbound lanes are for westbound traffic, and the outbound lanes are for eastbound traffic.
LA already has a WestNile Virus problem. This is going to be ugly. Praying for a downgrade.
They will close the causeway before that point.
Thinking about the rain...8 inches of rain by itself, New Orleans is going to flood.
Tell me about it. I thought I could beat 'em by drowning them one time. I was amazed when I saw them float away en masse. I have seen documentaries where whole mounds of fire-ants float on top of rivers.
I find it inconceivable that a city built in a bowl that experiences Cat 4 or higher every 30 years or so does not have an evac plan that includes military transport, both ground and air. And yet here we are.
Tell me about it. I thought I could beat 'em by drowning them one time. I was amazed when I saw them float away en masse. I have seen documentaries where whole mounds of fire-ants float on top of rivers.
All the commercial buildings I put up (in non-hurricane territory) were spec'ed to withstand 40 pound per square foot lateral (wind) loads. This translates to a windspeed of 100 to 120 mph.
Unfortunately, wind loads increase with the cube of the velocity.
Actually, the Mississippi River is unusually low at this time, even for late-summer - so some additional rain at points such as Memphis will be a bit of help for barges to make their way downstream (the problem, of course, is will there be anything LEFT downstream....)
Easier to run the full set outbound - you'd need someone to put up cones for the full length to run only one lane inbound.
Far easier for inbound traffic to use highways like US 90.
yes, it truly is. It is irreplaceable.
I just talked to my sister in Breaux Bridge, La. They are battening down. She said that I-10 is packed bumper to bumper.
You need to step up and provide a source - or Bubye baby!
The red car has moved almost one car's length in the last 30 minutes. http://www.wdsu.com/wxcam/1475332/detail.html
Good point. Undermining would be a big problem, too.
Dear God in heaven. I have never read something so chilling from the NWS...
Some good news:
WWL reports a cone from west of N.O., going north of the city to west of the city is showing a pressure drop, which is greater on the east side. Hurricanes will follow the path of lower pressure. Some hope that there will be a shift east. N.O. will still suffer a heavy hit, but not the type that totally destroys the city.
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