Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog

Threat to New Orleans grows
Posted by: Dr. Jeff Masters, 9:36 PM GMT on August 26, 2005 +0
Latest compter model runs have shifted significantly west in the past six hours, and the threat of a strike on New Orleans by Katrina as a major hurricane has grown. The official NHC forecast is now 170 miles west of where it was at 11am, and still is to the east of the consensus model guidance. It would be no surprise if later advisories shift the forecast track even further west and put Katrina over New Orleans. Until Katrina makes its northward turn, I would cast a very doubtful eye on the model predictions of Katrina's track. So much for the model prediction being high confidence, as I was surmising at 8am this morning! Recurvature is a difficult situation to forecast correctly.

The pressure of Katrina has continued to slowly drop, to 965mb. Dry air on the northwest side of the hurricane has interfered with the strengthening process, and may continue to do so over the next day. I still expect Katrina to attain Category 3 status Saturday, but Category 4 is looking less likely due to the dry air to the north. As one can see from the latest long range radar out of Key West, the northwest side of the eyewall is fragmented.

Some fairly prodigious rain amounts fell in the Miami area today. Homestead south of Miami measured 13.2 inches, and isolated amounts of 15 - 20 inches were observed between Homestead and Miami. The 7.55 inches at Key West was its 10th heaviest rainy day in history.

Jeff Masters
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701. MSY68 4:12 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
hey folks .. new to this blog...any thoughts yet on what the risk is to new orleans?
702. drillpipe 4:14 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
just got the call..evac all the way to east cameron.....65% of gulf under the gun. could be worst than Ivan......
703. steelmagnolia44 4:14 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
Would one of you please comment on the likelihood of the cone being moved to the west even more. Is there any chance the Mississippi Coast might become a less likely target for landfall? I saw the new map on The weather Channel at 11pm cdt. Thanks....
Member Since: August 24, 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 41
704. hurricane79 4:14 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
1) Due to slight shear ahead of the approaching trough,
2) She will cross the land near the mouth of the Mississippi
3) A possible eye replacement cycle
4) Past storm's history
705. Dragoon 4:14 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
It's kind of early to be making doomsday predictions.. but I would advise people in New Orleans.. and EVERYONE from the TX/LA border eastward to watch very very carefully.
706. MSY68 4:15 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
They havent really said muhc in the news except that New Orleans could be under the gun and it has to be watched
707. Halon056 4:16 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
Drillpipe....I am not versed well in offshore rigs, I know to lose any of them would be a problem, but are there any 3 or 4 of them that would be extremely critical???
Member Since: July 16, 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 349
708. MSY68 4:16 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
i have a house in the garden district...how worried should i be?
709. northshoremom 4:16 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
The sad punchline to all of this is that with Ivan's "false alarm" evacuation last year and a false start by Jefferson Parish in response to Dennis this year, I'm afraid locals just aren't going to respond fast enough if this is the Real Deal.

And Gulf, if they put your office on the 14th floor, there's something they're not telling you because the rest of your colleagues are much higher up in the building.
710. Dragoon 4:16 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
Still you shouldn't incorporate eyewall replacements into your forecast because they are impossible to predict. As far as past storms go.. eyewall replacements generally caused the weakening.. so again kind of an unreliable resource. There are just as many that have come onshore and not weakened as those that have.. if not more.
711. drillpipe 4:16 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
sure glad weaterwatcher is not helping the offshore oil industry>>>>NO to TAMPA
713. Jet2 4:17 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
Guys you want to see the effect on Oil if it follows the forecast track then go here http://hurricane.methaz.org/hurapak/AAL122005_gomex_oil.html (lol, school I goto right now).
Member Since: July 26, 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 0
714. Hawkeyewx 4:18 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
Canenut already posted the link about 20 posts above.
Member Since: July 5, 2005 Posts: 2 Comments: 1922
715. Canenut 4:19 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
StSimons, if Hawkeye doesn't see it, here

Link
716. 53rdWeatherRECON 4:19 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
Posted By: Hawkeyewx at 4:02 AM GMT on August 27, 2005.
Guys, as bad as the 18z GFS was the 0z GFS is even worse. It now predicts a monster hurricane, the strongest I have ever seen the GFS predict, over New Orleans at noon on Monday with absolutely perfect upper level wind conditions as it moves inland.

I have never seen you like this Hawk. whats up???
Member Since: August 5, 2005 Posts: 2 Comments: 74
717. hurricane79 4:19 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
dragoon, due to the forward speed of Katrina. there will be one before landfall. (They occur normally each 24 hour period)
718. HurricaneGuru 4:20 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
Remember this track, it looks even more plausible now:
Here is the LINK TO IT......
719. Dragoon 4:21 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
Keyword normally. Fluctuations in the forward speed from now until then and any deviation from the "normality" could result in having one at a time prior to landfall early enough that she comes right back and becomes even stronger.
720. MSY68 4:21 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
Im new here .. more of an amatuer than most of you probably....enginner and a private pilot here so some meterology classes .. i live in the garden district with my wife and 2 kids and need to know hwo worried is hould be and whether i should evacuate..they seem to heding so far on TV
722. leftyy420 4:22 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
wheres the garder district
Member Since: August 24, 2005 Posts: 35 Comments: 1987
723. tmichelle1979 4:24 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
Hi Everyone. I'm in the Mobile area and just wondering what y'all think the weather's going to be like here (I know the forecasts are calling for west of here). TWC is calling for wind and rain on Sunday and Monday. Missed the local weather though.
Thanks for any input.
724. LAtigerchic 4:24 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
I'm a newbie, so could someone give me the probability of this thing coming as far W as Vermillion Bay. I'm about 80 miles inland of Vermillion Bay, but when Lilly came in, she came right over the top of us. I don't have a good feeling about this one.
725. hmfynn 4:24 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
so in what direction exactly is it heading now? The official updates all say "wsw" but I'm reading that it's resumed the W-track.

Also, what's the progress of the trof? Is it getting anywhere near close enough to bring about a turn yet?
727. STORMTOP 4:25 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE I WILL POST MY UPDATE ON KATRINA TOMORROW MORNING...I TOLD EVERYONE IT WOULSD SHIFY MORE WESTWARD AGAIN AND IT FINALLY HAPPENED TONIGHT..I THINK THERE WILL BE ONE MORE SHIFT WHICH WILL BE POVER GRAND ISLE...THE MAX WINDS I STILL PROJECT TO BE 180MPH...I HAVE BEEN RIGHT ON THIS STORM EVER SINCE IT HIT FLORIDA...ALL I CAN TELL YOU PEOPLE IN NEW ORLEANS WE HAVE DODGED MANY BULLETS BUT THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO EAT IT......ILL BE BACK AT 8AM IN THE MORNING...I THINK NEW ORLEANS JEFF ST BERNARD PLAQ ARE PLANNING MANDATORY EVACUATIONS TOMORROW....ILL BE BACK AROUND 8 AM WWITH AND UPDATE.....STRORMTOPS NWS 2325........0000
728. MSY68 4:25 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
near uptown in new orleans
730. MSY68 4:27 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
thanks StSimonsIslandGAGuy the local nws site isnt saying much about it..but reading the posts in here made me very nervous like i was missing something
731. steelmagnolia44 4:27 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
MSY68...

I am here to learn as well, but I will give an opinion about your concern.

It will not be a mistake to make reservations somewhere and plan to leave. You might make a big mistake if you don't.

Your part of the city is beautiful.
Member Since: August 24, 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 41
732. Dragoon 4:27 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
Stormtop may have had some crazy predictions in the past, but quite honestly he was right this time. Kudos to you Stormtop. Unfortunately your intensity forecast can't be dismissed as crazy either. God willing, she won't ever get that strong.
733. leftyy420 4:27 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
every one in the CONE needs to prepare toleave. don't ask us how safe u will be cause no one can determine that but you. i have been saying this all day. the track could be anywhere in that cane so prepare or the worse but hope for the best. thats all u really need to know. to put it another way if i lived anywhere in the cone within 100 miles of the coast i would be preparing to evac and not have power for atleast a week
Member Since: August 24, 2005 Posts: 35 Comments: 1987
734. drillpipe 4:27 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
sorry guys...would you like to be +100 miles offshore on a platform or rig depending on meteroligist to say your safe.stay it will be alright just 35-50 seas for a while..do any of you guys seen an impact of these storm offshore....call the coast guard.yeh.120 mph winds.a heart aatck or appendicitits, etc you guys need to talk to the thoudands of guys who work out there..fro ms, al, fl sc, ok, etc, ask them prior to 200 mi stike what its like to leave when helicopters cant come......
735. MSY68 4:27 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
right..we are above sea level..so would i be ok to ride out the hurricane here of it hit close?
736. Dragoon 4:29 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
And to make a fairly bold little prediction of my own.. I'm feeling fairly good about thinking that the next plane that flies into the center is going to find a pressure down about 10 mb.. and flight level winds consistent with at least 100 knots.
737. MSY68 4:29 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
thank you..we love this part of the city...did i read correctly...180mph ??
738. Halon056 4:31 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
when is the next RECON report????
Member Since: July 16, 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 349
739. bobaloo04 4:31 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
LEFTY SAYS GET OUT!!!! RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!!! NOW!!!!!
740. Zeenster 4:32 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
Um - Stormtop, since you live in the NO area, what are your plans? Might be a good idea for those who live in that area and post here a lot to let folks know that they take this seriously and plan to act on it too. :-) If it makes just one person make a more sensible decision and that person passes the info. to others...you could save lives here Stormtop. (BTW...congrats on your forecast)
741. Dragoon 4:32 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
Whenever the next plane makes it to the center Halon. Probably in a couple of hours.
742. drillpipe 4:32 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
halon-all you need in one cental station.there are hundreds in GOM and it could impact many. Remeber..pipelines are also vunbral....look @ what happen to BPs 2mil thunderhorse during Dennis
743. leftyy420 4:32 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
i belive that dragoon. to the guy in the garden distric. flooding iss the least of ur worries. winds are goin to be atleast 140 mph or higher with gusts close to 200. why even risk ur childrens live. evac as soon as you can period. i have 2 kids and all i would need to know was am i in the cone and my preps would be made and bam i would be gone. the longer u wait the harder it will be to leave if u decide to. u will have to tave hundreds of miles to find a hotel and you might have to stay in a sheletr
Member Since: August 24, 2005 Posts: 35 Comments: 1987
744. MSY68 4:33 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
when is the latest you recommend making a decision by?
745. LAtigerchic 4:33 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
drillpipe,

I heard that the 'thunder reef' incident was human error, not storm related...what do you think?
746. MSY68 4:34 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
i hate to leave the city..but the local shelters will be safe, right?
747. bobaloo04 4:35 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
MSY ask your local emergency management, they will let you know. not these amatuers.
748. Halon056 4:35 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
What I want to know is....WHERE IN THE HECK IS JIM CANTORE!!!!! if he shows up N.O. ya'll might as well leave!!!! LOL
Member Since: July 16, 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 349
749. leftyy420 4:35 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
u ned to prepare now and leave by tomm at the latest cause trafic will be bad and finding a hotel will be hell. do u want to be stuck when all hell breaks loose
Member Since: August 24, 2005 Posts: 35 Comments: 1987
750. MSY68 4:35 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
what are the chances of it really reaching 180mph in new orleans??
751. GPTGUY 4:35 AM GMT on August 27, 2005    
can someone send me a link to the 00z gfs model run
Member Since: August 26, 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 391

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About JeffMasters
Jeff co-founded the Weather Underground in 1995 while working on his Ph.D. He flew with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters from 1986-1990.

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