Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part VI

NOAA - NHC ^ | 28 August 2005 | NOAA - NHC

[NautiNurse]

Extremely dangerous Hurricane Katrina is bearing down on the North Central Gulf of Mexico and New Orleans metro area. Thousands of people did not evacuate New Orleans. Outer bands of Katrina are reaching the Louisiana coast.

Due to the size and intensity of this storm, all interests in the North Gulf of Mexico should be in their safe locations.

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:

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

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

[U S Army EOD]

I am sure there are plans to evacuated the Super Dome in case of an incident. Think there is a plan when you can't get out of the Super Dome? Let's just hope for the best and hope I have to "eat my words" on this one.

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, no one can be ~really~ sure till it's tested.... till then it's numbers on paper.

[solitas]

Aw nuts! :)

[tomkat]

Yep, smart kids.
But did you listen ?
Nooooooooooo !

lol
color me 'unsurprised'   

Seriesly, y'all take good care...

[Tarheel]

If I was a governor I would definitely have explored that option.

I don't know if saw Gov. Blanco,(D) of LA yesterday. You would understand why there was little to no forethought in the preparations. I now understand why she is called Gov. Blanko.

[angkor]

I can't imagine 150 mph sustained winds and I bet the designers of that dome couldn't either.

I've been in 100+ MPH winds. You're on your hands and knees, walking upright is not possible.

[jeffers]

"Pressure is up another MB to 904MB"

Katrina's punching into drier air, and some of the inflow is over land now.

Still, the southern inflow is healthy and will increase the storm's total energy budget.

I think we'll see some slight weakening before landfall, but nothing like Dennis.

[cajungirl]

Baton Rouge, south east of the city. We are fine except our house is all windows. We have two windowless rooms, the laundary and my closet!

I spent my first hurricane in BR in 1947 under my mother's dining room table. And I was in NO for Betsy. And remember Audrey, the worse I think ever in Louisiana.

[MikefromOhio]

wow....

[WestCoastGal]

"fill your cars up NOW."

I did that this morning, I figured even if there was no damage, this would be an excuse to raise gas prices again. :(

[U S Army EOD]

If the mound is not pounded by waves for twelve hours or so.

[buickmackane]

http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050828/NEWS05/50828013

NWS just announced Alexandria will be spared, though they can't completely rule out tornados here.

[MikefromOhio]

Dennis fell apart and had an eyewall cycle right as it hit land.

I hope this one does the same, but it's going ashore as a CAT 5.

[randita]

Okay I have a question and I may not like the answer, but what about all the pets?

Can't imagine pets being permitted in the shelters -- what a mess that would be. My guess is that plenty of food and water left for them in the highest room in the house would be all you could do. Then just pray they'll be okay.

[Torie]

That a relief. I was worried about you.

[snowsislander]

Another "Vortex":

VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 28/2231Z
B. 27 DEG 00 MIN N
   89 DEG 07 MIN W
C. 700 MB 2257 M
D. N/A
E. N/A
F. 96 DEG 139 KT
G. 13 DEG 16 NM
H. 904 MB
I. 14 C/ 3062 M
J. 27 C/ 3075 M
K. 10 C/ NA
L. CLOSED WALL
M. C28
N. 12345/7
O. 1/1 NM
P. NOAA3 1812A KATRINA OB 28
   MAX FL WIND 160 KTS NE QUAD 1743Z
   EXCELLENT RADAR PRESENTATION

[kjam22]

There will be damage. They'll be trying to fix offshore platforms for 3 months.

[spetznaz]

How safe is the SuperDome? Can it really stand a Cat-5, and if it cannot hasn't it just become a deathtrap?

[Ellesu]

Press Releases

Date: 8/28/2005

Contact: Denise Bottcher or Roderick Hawkins at 225-342-9037


GOVERNOR BLANCO'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON HURRICANE EVACUATION

"I congratulate the citizens of the Greater New Orleans area for the heroic, serious and courteous manner in which they have conducted themselves in the past several days.

"While no evacuation of this kind is perfect and I know that the citizens of the region are under great stress and strain, I am proud to say that we've successfully evacuated hundreds of thousands of citizens in the last 24 hours.

"State officials, working with local and parish officials and officials in Mississippi, have worked hard to maintain a safe evacuation process.

"While many people are still on the roads trying to get out of the city, trafffic patterns indicate that everyone who has the ability to leave New Orleans will be able to evacuate by this evening.

"Several critical announcments must be made at this time.

. Highway 61 will soon be closed to allow Jefferson Parish officials enough time to lay sandbags to protect the city of Kenner.

. Also, at the State of Mississippi's request, because of their vulnerable position on the eastern side of the storm, I-10 east bound at the Slidell I-10/I-12 interchange is closed. No traffic is being allowed to travel east on I-10 past that interchange at Slidell.

"The State Police are continuing to monitor traffic conditions. Traffic pressure on I-10 West is easing at the entry points in Orleans and Jefferson. Tropical storm winds are expected to reach the area earlier than first predicted.

"Therefore, in consultation with parish officials in Orleans and Jefferson, at this time we have stopped loading contraflow lanes. Normal traffic flow will resume.

"This does not mean that the evacuation has ended. I repeat - we are not ending evacuation. With the exception of Highway 61 and I-10 eastbound at Slidell, all evacuation routes out of the city will remain open for citizens desiring to leave this evening. Contraflow loading has ended, but evacuation has not.

"We are ending contraflow loading for the following reasons:

. Traffic conditions are improving in the New Orleans/Jefferson region.

. The need to give DOTD and local officials time to move cones, barrells and other equipment which might become flying missiles in high-wind conditions.
. To respect our neighbors in Mississippi who must give their personnel adequate time to make arrangements to move their equipment along their highway system.

. The need to give emergency personnel and relief workers more flexibility to get in and out of the city in the hours leading up to the storm's landfall.

"To those citizens who have the ability to leave, I urge you to leave now. If you cannot leave the city, I urge you to go to one of the city-sponsored shelters in the New Orleans area.

"I am gravely concerned about reports coming in regarding those who are choosing not to evacuation. I strongly urge you to get to safety while there is still time to do so.

"I am very pleased by the way this evacuation was conducted. I recognize that it is impossible to accomplish this without some frustration. But again, I want to again thank the citizens of the New Orleans area for the outstanding way you have conducted yourselves in the past 24 hours.

"We will continue to monitor the continuing evacuation during the late afternoon and evening hours and I can assure those evacuating that we will continue to have adequate State Police and other public safety personnel on hand to maintain the best possible flow of traffic.

"I urge you to continue driving safely, protecting yourselves and your family members. I urge the citizens of Louisiana to join us in prayer so that no lives are lost."

[Dog Gone]

That's my guess on the lower limits. I don't expect any civil unrest at all. People tend to pull together in a time of crisis.

Don't ask me about my high side guess.