Hurricane Katrina Report by Tornado Tim
Katrina grew to a Category 5 hurricane with winds over 175 mph and recorded a minimum central pressure of 902 millibars, which is the fourth lowest on record for an Atlantic hurricane, according to NOAA's National Climatic Data Center.  As it moved inland it weakened to a Category 4 but Katrina still caused extensive damage and flooding. Many buildings experienced complete and total failure due to high winds and storm surge. Hurricane Katrina made a direct hit on Gulf Port Mississippi pounding it with 145+ mph sustained winds and some gusts even higher. Other areas were beaten with sustained winds of 135 mph.  Flooding was widespread, low areas were completely under water. This is a major disaster from Slidell Louisiana to Mobile Alabama.  The destruction is overwhelming and the ability for anyone to grasp the extent of this catastrophe is impossible. Sadly the storm was so strong and large, covering about 90,000 square miles or 233,098.93 square kilometers, that many people who needed to be rescued were left unaided. It became impossible to rescue people during the storm without dangerously risking the lives of the rescuers.

Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi told reporters that until the winds died down they just could not do any search and rescue, making some residents worst nightmare seem endless.  People had been warned before that rescue would likely be impossible because of the ferocious and awesome power this storm would possess.  Some people stayed even after hearing this warning, others had to stay with no way to evacuate.  The problem after the storm left was the vastness of the rescue and that major roads were destroyed.  Days after the storm, many people were still needing rescue, but no one came for them. Many people trapped in their own homes, waiting, some dying.  Unbelievably as late as September 2nd, we still didn't know when everyone would be rescued and receive the help needed.

Fast Facts: Until Katrina the worst natural disaster in United States history had been a hurricane that killed 8000+ people in Galveston, Texas in September of 1900.

Storm surges of near 30 feet(9 Meters) the highest ever recorded were reported with hurricane Katrina, although not in New Orleans as originally had been feared. Instead those east of New Orleans were the ones buried under an ocean of water as water surged onshore from the hurricane. Gulf Port Mississippi, Biloxi Mississippi, were hit with a monstrous storm surge. St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana found itself completely under water as Katrina moved by. Unprecedented, catastrophic, horrific are all words that describe what happened.  The destruction was far worse than anyone could believe. In some areas all the homes were annihilated. Surprisingly, the majority of New Orleans flooding was not caused by storm surge, but levee breaches that grew after Katrina's assault bringing deadly destruction to the city.  

Fast Facts: Nine out of ten hurricane fatalities are caused by the storm surge.

WHAT HAPPENED?
Friday Aug. 26th
GOVERNOR BLANCO DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY
BATON ROUGE, LA--Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco today issued Proclamation No. 48 KBB 2005, declaring a state of emergency for the state Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina poses an imminent threat, carrying severe storms, high winds, and torrential rain that may cause flooding and damage to private property and public facilities, and threaten the safety and security of the citizens of the state of Louisiana The state of emergency extends from Friday, August 26, 2005, through Sunday, September 25, 2005, unless terminated sooner.
Saturday Aug. 27th  36 hours before Hurricane Katrina crashed into the Gulf Coast, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin received a late night call on Saturday from Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center in Florida and was warned that Katrina was a "worst-case" scenario.  Mr. Mayfield of NHC suggested the Mayor order a mandatory evacuation  of New Orleans. Finally Sunday morning Mayor Nagin decided to order an evacuation of the city.
Sunday August 28th, 2005 a mandatory evacuation was ordered for the City of New Orleans early Sunday morning by Mayor Ray Nagin as catastrophic Hurricane Katrina headed northwest.  Gov. Kathleen Blanco alongside of the mayor stated at a news conference that President Bush called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation for the low-lying city, which is prone to flooding. Everyone was asked to leave the area, but later we found many choose not to.
Our Leaders Grave Warnings before it hit:
President Bush: 
"We cannot stress enough the danger this hurricane poses to Gulf Coast communities,"
Click to read -- President  Warns about Hurricane Katrina

Mayor C. Ray Nagin of New Orleans announced on Sunday:
"We are facing a storm that most of us have long feared, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event."

Quoting New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin - "Ladies and gentlemen, this is not a test. This is the real deal. Board up your homes, make sure you have enough medicine, make sure the car has enough gas. Do all things you normally do for a hurricane but treat this one differently because it is pointed towards New Orleans."
Gov. Kathleen Blanco:
"I think this storm is bigger than anything we have dealt with before, This is not a minor problem."
Ralph A. Latham Jr., the director of Emergency Management Operations for Mississippi:
"I'm afraid this is the one we've dreaded, I don't think the scenario could be any worse for us."
Their horrific Predictions  Sun Aug. 28 2005 
LISTEN TO DEADLY NWS PREDICTIONS ON SUNDAY
490   
WWUS74 KLIX 281550  
NPWLIX  
  
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA  
1011 AM CDT SUNDAY AUG 28 2005  
   
..DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED
Hurricane Katrina is a most powerful hurricane with unprecedented strength...rivaling the intensity of hurricane Camille of 1969. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks...perhaps longer. At least one half of well constructed homes will have roof and wall failure. All gabled roofs will fail...leaving those homes severely damaged or destroyed. The majority of industrial buildings will become non functional. Partial to complete wall and roof failure is expected. All wood framed low rising apartment buildings will be destroyed.

Concrete block low rise apartments will sustain major damage...including some wall and roof failure. High rise office and apartment buildings will sway dangerously...a few to the point of total collapse. All windows will blow out. Airborne debris will be widespread...and may include heavy items such as household appliances and even light vehicles. Sport utility vehicles and light trucks will be moved. The blown debris will create additional destruction.

Persons...pets... and livestock exposed to the winds will face certain death if struck. Power outages will last for weeks...as most power poles will be down and transformers destroyed. Water shortages will make human suffering incredible by modern standards. The vast majority of native trees will be snapped or uprooted. Only the heartiest will remain standing... but be totally defoliated.

Few crops will remain. Livestock left exposed to the winds will be killed. An inland hurricane wind warning is issued when sustained winds near hurricane force...or frequent gusts at or above hurricane force.

Even after all these terrible warnings, many choose to ride out the storm all along the coast.

Coastal Watches/Warnings and 5-Day Cone Graphic This map shows an approximate representation of coastal areas under a hurricane warning (red), hurricane watch (pink), tropical storm warning (blue) and tropical storm watch (yellow). The orange circle indicates the current position of the center of the tropical cyclone.

New Orleans Evacuation Map New Orleans Contraflow Plan
Redcross Evacuation Plans  PDF file
New Orleans City Hurricane Plans The city had plans for those who didn't have a way to escape.
".......Special arrangements will be made to evacuate persons unable to transport themselves or who require specific life saving assistance. Additional personnel will be recruited to assist in evacuation procedures as needed." 
Also the city had in place what to do after a levee break.
Under section 7 it says:  "Mitigation actions following natural disasters and post disaster plan development. In response to a major destructive storm, future plans call for the preparation of a post disaster plan that will identify programs and actions that will reduce or eliminate the exposure of human life and property to natural hazards. To direct the City's hurricane recovery operations, the Mayor will appoint a Recovery Task Force (RTF)."

NOTE: One thing we Americans have learned from Hurricane Katrina is who has control of what resources when a disaster hits an area. The Federal Government is limited in its control over each states National Guard units. Freedom in the United States is highly valued, and each state does not want the Federal Government to have too much control over them.  According to Jennifer Loven an Associated Press writer, as of September 5th 2005  Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco still had refused to sign over control of the National Guard to the federal government.  Instead Gov. Kathleen Blanco hired a Clinton administration official, former Federal Emergency Management Agency chief James Lee Witt, to help run relief efforts.   

(According to By John Yaukey, Gannett News Service) in the USA today Posted 9/13/2005
Bush suggested "federalizing" Louisiana's Guard forces when the chaos in New Orleans began escalating.  The President wanted to  invoke the Insurrection Act, which permits the military use of federal troops on U.S. soil to put down violence that local authorities are incapable of handling, but Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco objected.  Under the National Defense Act of 1916, the president can federalize a state's National Guard troops in an effort to centralize control over a chaotic situation. 

So the military is NOT allowed to come in and police a city at the Presidents will.  The role of domestic law enforcement is controlled by the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act  which restricts military forces from policing American cities. So when troops were sent in the Pentagon made it clear that the thousands of forces sent there would not perform police functions but  worked within US law and regulations. 

It appears that since our president cannot seize control of a city and state at will, that many people were left without help. So, the question is, should we give our president free reign to take over when he feels it is necessary. Do you want to give president Bush the right to decided when to take over your city and your state at his will because he thinks he needs to?

Hurricane Katrina: Why the Red Cross not in New Orleans? On September 7th I found many reports that the Red Cross was ready the moment after the storm passed through to go into New Orleans. This makes sense as most every city I have seen destroyed by tornadoes is quickly greeted with the welcome sign of the American Red Cross. They are usually right behind the police, fire departments and rescue squads.  But they weren't in New Orleans as they were blocked from going into the city by the Louisiana State Homeland Security authorities.
Here is what the Red Cross posted on their site.
"Access to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders. The Louisiana state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city."

Below are my notes of the events looking all the way back to the official warnings and predictions.
Monday August 29th: Our friend Doug was filming the hurricane as it made landfall. He made it alive through it all and posted some blogs on his website.
Tuesday August 30th Morning: Waking up Tuesday morning we found many areas had not seen any rescue teams. Doug my friend who was filming the event is no longer responding to calls or emails. His last blog was Late Monday night so I became concerned about his welfare. Reports of what was happening in New Orleans was confusing at best. Slowly it became clear things were far worse than any realized. It appears a levee has broken and reports state New Orleans is flooding.

How many dead? Scores............. The total numbers will be difficult to accept.......Sadness...... Everyone is afraid to put a number on the deaths, but many fear it will be high, very high. Reports of dead bodies floating in the water have been heard all day and were confirmed by the mayor of New Orleans. "We're not even dealing with dead bodies," Mayor Ray Nagin said. "They're just pushing them on the side." Rescue of the living is of the highest priority. Areas around Biloxi Mississippi and Gulf port are reported to have sustained the full force of the hurricane winds and the worst of the storm surge.

More than 1 million residents across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, remain without electricity on August 31st. The normal comforts of living will not be available for a long time. 

In Mississippi, the bodies of those who died from hurricane Katrina were being moved to the morgue in hard-hit Harrison County. Officials say fatalities of over 100 are expected. The worst of the hurricane damage is reported in Mississippi, but New Orleans is getting most of the national news reports due to the ongoing disaster there.

Refugee camps are being setup and organized from Huston Texas to areas north of New Orleans. Military ships and helicopters are converging on New Orleans along with a 500 bed mobile hospital. Many will perish before help arrives.  Death counts have still not been given, but it is insinuated that it may be in the thousands.   For all our technology, we have yet to triumph over the most powerful forces on earth - natural disasters like Katrina.

President Bush in a televised address from the White House said,
"We're dealing with one of the worst national disasters in our nation's history,"

The only good news today was that our friend Doug who was filming the hurricane has now escaped New Orleans and is back in Minnesota alive.

September 1st  Updated 11 pm EST Evening  I have been chasing storms for over 10 years now and watched entire communities in ruin get help quickly, but usually from near by communities. In this case, the nearby communities were also destroyed.  I have never in my life seen anything so sad as the slow rescue of the victims of hurricane Katrina.  But I have to admit, I don't think anyone ever envisioned a disaster this immense in the United States. 90,00 square miles or 233,098.93 square kilometers, has been seriously damaged or destroyed. Still, with the apocalyptic warnings given how could plans not been in place for a massive rescue. Just read the warnings further down in this report and ask yourself how such warnings would not have tens of thousands of troops in the area hours after Katrina hit. I wonder if officials even believed their own predictions.

Fires broke out today in New Orleans, lootings, people died in the very shelters they were told to go to. Refugees sit next to dead bodies, waiting for the help promised, but what comes is too little, and it is quickly becoming to late. Anarchy has been breaking out, the city is not safe with rapes and beatings taking place seemingly without fear of law enforcement chasing after the criminals. Mob rule is now the law, thugs rule the city, it appears to be taken over by the lawless. Local police are turning in their badges. If this is the fastest response that any state can give to a crisis situation, God help us.

Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu confirmed that 30 people died at a nursing home in St. Bernard Parish. Arial views show that Long Beach is no longer a city, it is completely wiped out. Headlines talk of a major shortage of jet-fuel at US airports if jet-fuel disruption is not fixed soon. Reports are showing up in  major news papers across the US that airports in the East and Southeast could run out of jet fuel as soon September 5th if refinery and pipelines aren't turned back on soon. Shortages appear most severe at airports in Charlotte, Tampa, Orlando and Fort Myers, Fla. Some of my own relatives are saying some gas stations in Florida have run out of gas already today. Gas is becoming hard to find in some areas, states no where near the hurricane damage. Arizona, Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The refugee numbers keep rising just as I had feared. It appears my predictions of far fewer people leaving New Orleans before the storm were correct as a seemingly countless number of people are roaming the devastated city. Some estimations are now up to 150,000 people left in and around the New Orleans area. According to the 2000 census, New Orleans's population was 484,674 and the New Orleans metropolitan area's population 1,337,726.  The saddest problem of all is many people didn't have the financial means to get out.  I only wonder if anyone, anyone at all thought of all the poor who had no way to evacuate from New Orleans to Mississippi. I am asking a question I would love to hear answered. When the warnings go out for a need to evacuate, what plans were made for the poor, to get them out? How many busses were supplied on Sunday, how many transportation vehicles were sent ahead to help them leave?

The Dead: While Mississippi started collecting their dead on Wednesday, New Orleans is such a monumental disaster bodies are left floating in the polluted flood waters from Lake Pontchartrain.  Fears mount over the fate of many internationally known musicians who are missing. 'Fats' Domino and others fates are still unknown at this time.

The Levee: Still a wide open gap with no resolution and no hope to even start pumping out water from New Orleans. 

How Bad is it?
This city will not be what it was for many years, if ever. First, you can't just go back into homes and dry them out. Read Flooded Homes  The reality is many of the buildings and homes in New Orleans will never be inhabitable again, they will need to be destroyed. YEARS of Rebuilding...

September 2nd  - Finally Help and Hope Arrived
Read - President Tours Biloxi, Mississippi Hurricane Damaged Neighborhoods

Hope has returned as countless numbers of rescue teams, helicopters, boats, fire trucks from around the country, almost every state in the United States has sent help. FEMA in large numbers arrived with semi after semi of life saving water and supplies. Evacuations flowed at a steady stream and hospitals begin to be rescued in greater numbers.

Soldiers just back from Iraq and armed for war, moved in to restore order. Vehicle after vehicle amassing in heartwarming numbers. Coast guard ships, military vehicles, special equipment bringing hope. Today is the first day I believe we can survive this catastrophe since the Hurricane hit. The mob rule and anarchy that has ruled New Orleans for days is about to end. Sadly it was revealed today almost 1/4 of the New Orleans police department abandon their posts and walk off from their jobs and even took food and water from the stores like the others.

'Fats' Domino was finally rescued Friday night in New Orleans, according to wire reports. And Irma Thomas, the Queen of New Orleans soul, was located in Baton Rouge, where she escaped to the home of her aunt.
September 5th According to FEMA's website

To date: In Louisiana, there are 30 Disaster Medical Teams (DMAT); 2 Veterinary Assistance Teams (VMAT); 1 Mental Health Team; and 4 Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams (DMORT) In Mississippi, there are 11 DMATs; 1 Mental Health Team; 2 VMATs; and 4 DMORTS There have been 9,400 hospital evacuations and all hospitals as well as 30 nursing homes in New Orleans have been evacuated A portable hospital from Nevada arrived at New Orleans airport yesterday The 1,000-bed USS Comfort is scheduled to arrive in the Gulf Coast area tomorrow A Department of Defense mobile hospital is operational at the New Orleans airport DMORT sites are set up in Gabriel, La., and Gulfport, Miss. Each site has four DMORT teams and one portable morgue. As of yesterday, 229,328 people were in 679 shelters in 12 states Two million meals ready to eat (MREs) were delivered to Gulfport, Miss., last night, making a total of 8.5 million MREs that have been delivered in response to Hurricane Katrina FEMA is working with the American Red Cross to provide vouchers to evacuees in shelters Three Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs), where hurricane victims can get assistance, are opening in Alabama today making a total of five there; four DRCs are open in Texas Disaster food stamps are available in Louisiana More states are preparing to receive Hurricane Katrina evacuees -- 15 states and the District of Columbia are currently housing or preparing to house evacuees 1.1 million barrels of diesel have been shipped to New Orleans

This disaster is a learning lesson for all of the United States. It teaches us how laws regulate even rescue and evacuations. We are learning that by law the Federal government cannot just move in with any and all their resources, but instead the local government must take the leading role in the process. Laws regulated much of the rescue events and timing they could be deployed.

     We are all learning that when the worst possible scenario hits the US even the best of plans will fall far short of what is needed. Severe weather events can be beyond the scope of our imagination and we must all understand that natural disasters are far bigger and stronger than anything we possess. We are at the mercy of such catastrophic events as Katrina.
     Who is at fault? The best answer to that question is Katrina, the hurricane, it did this. Only time will tell how large and impossible this rescue really was, but I would have expected the leaders of the New Orleans area to have made better plans on how to deal with this type of situation, especially since it was known for a long time that this could happen. Yet, can such a huge event as this ever be totally prepared for, I really doubt it. Those who were in charge of the New Orleans area at the time of the disaster and were responsible in preparing for a hurricane and the safety of the residents are listed below. Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco did warn the residents on Sunday and asked everyone to leave the area before the storm would hit.

Please check out NOAA's StormReady program. http://www.stormready.noaa.gov/   StormReady, a program started in 1999 in Tulsa, OK, helps arm America's communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property– before and during the event. StormReady helps community leaders and emergency managers strengthen local safety programs.  Take the responsibility and get your local officials involved. They even have a TsunamiReady program. http://www.stormready.noaa.gov/tsunamiready/index.htm

Katrina moves in for the kill.........

Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale  Courtesy of National Hurricane Center Category Definition Effects One Winds 74-95 mph No real damage to building structures. Damage primarily to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery, and trees. Also, some coastal road flooding and minor pier da mage Two Winds 96-110 mph Some roofing material, door, and window damage to buildings. Considerable damage to vegetation, mobile homes, and piers. Coastal and low-lying escape routes flood 2-4 hours before arrival of center. Small craft in unprotected anchorages break moorings. Three Winds 111-130 mph Some structural damage to small residences and utility buildings with a minor amount of curtainwall failures. Mobile homes are destroyed. Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures with larger structures damaged by floating debris. Terrain continuously lower than 5 feet ASL may be flooded inland 8 miles or more. Four Winds 131-155 mph More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof structure failure on small residences. Major erosion of beach. Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore. Terrain continuously lower than 10 feet ASL may be flooded requiring massive evacuation of residential areas inland as far as 6 miles. Five Winds greater than 155 mph Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away. Major damage to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 feet ASL and within 500 yards of the shoreline.Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5 to 10 miles of the shoreline may be required.

Credit (AOML) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Updated by Tornado Tim

THE NWS HURRICANE WARNINGS ISSUED going backwards.

HURRICANE KATRINA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  26B NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 8 AM CDT MON AUG 29 2005
 
...LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE KATRINA POUNDING SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA AND SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER TO DESTIN FLORIDA...AND FROM WEST OF MORGAN CITY TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM DESTIN FLORIDA EASTWARD TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA...AND FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA WESTWARD TO CAMERON LOUISIANA.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
AT 8 AM CDT...1300Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 29.7 NORTH... LONGITUDE 89.6 WEST OR ABOUT 40 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA AND ABOUT 65 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BILOXI MISSISSIPPI.
 
KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 15 MPH...AND A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST AT A SLIGHTLY FASTER FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.  ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER WILL BE PASSING JUST TO THE EAST OF NEW ORLEANS DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS WITH THE WORST OF THE WEATHER FOR THAT CITY OCCURRING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS.  THE CENTER IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI LATER TODAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 135 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  KATRINA IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  WEAKENING IS FORECAST AS THE CIRCULATION INTERACTS WITH LAND TODAY.  WINDS AFFECTING THE UPPER FLOORS OF HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER THAN THOSE NEAR GROUND LEVEL.
 
KATRINA IS A VERY LARGE HURRICANE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 125 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 230 MILES.  PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI CIVIL DEFENSE REPORTED A WIND GUST TO 118 MPH...AND GULFPORT MISSISSIPPI EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 94 MPH WITH A GUST TO 100 MPH.  BELLE CHASSE LOUISIANA...JUST SOUTHEAST OF NEW ORLEANS RECENTLY REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 76 MPH WITH A GUST TO 88 MPH.  A LITTLE EARLIER...BELLE CHASE REPORTED A GUST TO 105 MPH.  NEW ORLEANS LAKEFRONT AIRPORT RECENTLY REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 69 MPH WITH A GUST TO 86 MPH.

THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS  923 MB...27.26 INCHES.
 
COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 18 TO 22 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF THE CENTER. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 10 TO 15 FEET...NEAR THE TOPS OF THE LEVEES...IS POSSIBLE IN THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA.  SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE FLOODING WILL OCCUR ELSEWHERE ALONG THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO COAST.

RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE PATH OF KATRINA ACROSS THE GULF COAST AND THE TENNESSEE VALLEY.  RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES REGION TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.
 
THE TORNADO THREAT AHEAD OF KATRINA CONTINUES TO INCREASE AND SCATTERED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY OVER SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA... SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI...SOUTHERN ALABAMA...AND OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.
 
REPEATING THE 8 AM CDT POSITION...29.7 N... 89.6 W.  MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTH NEAR 15 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...135 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 923 MB.
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 10 AM CDT.

HURRICANE KATRINA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  26A...CORRECTED NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
6 AM CDT MON AUG 29 2005

CORRECTED TIMES TO 6 AM CDT  
...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE KATRINA PREPARING  TO MOVE ONSHORE NEAR SOUTHERN PLAQUEMINES PARISH LOUISIANA... ...HURRICANE-FORCE WIND GUSTS OCCURRING OVER MOST OF SOUTHEASTERN    LOUISIANA...IN THE NEW ORLEANS METROPOLITAN AREA...AND AS FAR   EAST AS THE CHANDELEUR ISLANDS...
 
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER TO DESTIN FLORIDA...AND FROM WEST OF MORGAN CITY TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM DESTIN FLORIDA EASTWARD TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA...AND FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA WESTWARD TO CAMERON LOUISIANA.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
AT 6 AM CDT...1100Z...THE CENTER OF MAJOR HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 29.1 NORTH... LONGITUDE 89.6 WEST OR ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN GRAND ISLE AND THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THIS IS ALSO ABOUT 70 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA AND ABOUT 95 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF BILOXI MISSISSIPPI.
 
KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 15 MPH... AND THIS MOTION IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE TODAY. A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST AT A SLIGHTLY FASTER FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED LATER TONIGHT AND ON TUESDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...KATRINA WILL MOVE ONSHORE THE SOUTHERN COAST OF PLAQUEMINES PARISH NEAR EMPIRE AND BURAS LOUSIANA WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR...AND REACH THE LOUISIANA-MISSISSIPPI BORDER AREA BY EARLY AFTERNOON. CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO STEADILY DETERIORATE OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA...SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI...AND SOUTHERN ALABAMA THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 145 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. KATRINA IS A STRONG CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY PRIOR TO LANDFALL...BUT KATRINA IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL AS
A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE. WINDS AFFECTING THE UPPER FLOORS OF HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER THAN THOSE NEAR GROUND LEVEL.
 
KATRINA REMAINS A VERY LARGE HURRICANE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 120 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 230 MILES.  DURING THE PAST HOUR...A SUSTAINED WIND OF 56 MPH WITH A GUST TO 85 MPH WAS REPORTED AT NEW ORLEANS LAKEFRONT AIRPORT...AND A SUSTAINED WIND OF 74 MPH WITH A GUST TO 96 MPH WAS REPORTED AT THE NAVAL AIR STATION IN BELLE CHASSE LOUISIANA.
 
THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS  918 MB...27.11 INCHES.
 
COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 18 TO 22 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...LOCALLY AS HIGH AS 28 FEET...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL.  SOME LEVEES IN THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA COULD BE OVERTOPPED.  SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE FLOODING WILL OCCUR ELSEWHERE ALONG THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO COAST.
NOAA BUOY 42040 LOCATED ABOUT 50 MILES EAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER RECENTLY REPORTED WAVES HEIGHTS OF AT LEAST 47 FEET.
 
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE PATH OF KATRINA ACROSS THE GULF COAST AND THE TENNESSEE VALLEY.  RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES REGION TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.
 
SCATTERED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY OVER SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA... SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI...SOUTHERN ALABAMA...AND OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.
 
REPEATING THE 6 AM CDT POSITION...29.1 N... 89.6 W.  MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTH NEAR 15 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...145 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 918 MB.
 
AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 8 AM CDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT

HURRICANE KATRINA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  24A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
7 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005
 ...POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE KATRINA NOW MOVING NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD TOWARD THE NORTHERN GULF COAST...
 A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE COMPLETED THIS EVENING.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER TO DESTIN FLORIDA...AND FROM WEST OF MORGAN CITY TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM DESTIN FLORIDA EASTWARD TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA...AND FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA WESTWARD TO CAMERON
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
AT 7 PM CDT...0000Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 27.2 NORTH... LONGITUDE 89.1 WEST OR ABOUT 130 MILES SOUTH OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI
 
KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 11 MPH...AND A TURN TO THE NORTH IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER OF THE HURRICANE WILL BE NEAR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST EARLY MONDAY. HOWEVER...CONDITIONS ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO DETERIORATE ALONG PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN GULF COAST...AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN THROUGH THE NIGHT.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 160 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. KATRINA IS A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY PRIOR TO LANDFALL...AND KATRINA IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL AT CATEGORY FOUR OR FIVE INTENSITY. WINDS AFFECTING THE UPPER FLOORS OF HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER THAN THOSE
NEAR GROUND LEVEL.
 
KATRINA IS A LARGE HURRICANE.  HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 230 MILES.  SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE ALREADY OCCURRING OVER THE SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA COAST. 
 
HURRICANE HUNTER PLANE REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF
904 MB...26.69 INCHES.
 
COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 18 TO 22 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...LOCALLY AS HIGH AS 28 FEET...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL.  SOME LEVEES IN THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA COULD BE OVERTOPPED.  SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE FLOODING WILL OCCUR ELSEWHERE ALONG THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO COAST.
 
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE PATH OF KATRINA ACROSS THE GULF COAST AND THE TENNESSEE VALLEY.  RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES REGION TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.
 
ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS EVENING OVER SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF LOUISIANA...MISSISSIPPI...AND ALABAMA...AND OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.
 
REPEATING THE 7 PM CDT POSITION...27.2 N... 89.1 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 11 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...160 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 904 MB.
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 10 PM CDT.

HURRICANE KATRINA ADVISORY NUMBER  24
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
4 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE KATRINA HEADED FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE COMPLETED THIS EVENING.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER TO DESTIN FLORIDA...AND FROM WEST OF MORGAN CITY TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM DESTIN FLORIDA EASTWARD TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA...AND FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA WESTWARD TO CAMERON.
 
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 26.9 NORTH... LONGITUDE 89.0 WEST OR ABOUT 150 MILES SOUTH OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI

KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH...AND A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTH IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.  ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER OF THE HURRICANE WILL BE NEAR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST EARLY MONDAY.  HOWEVER...CONDITIONS ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO DETERIORATE ALONG PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN GULF COAST...AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN THROUGH THE NIGHT.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 165 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  KATRINA IS A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY UNTIL LANDFALL.  KATRINA IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL AT CATEGORY FOUR OR FIVE INTENSITY.  WINDS AFFECTING THE UPPER FLOORS OF HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER THAN THOSE NEAR GROUND LEVEL.

KATRINA IS A LARGE HURRICANE.  HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 230 MILES.  SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE OCCURRING OVER THE SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA COAST.  SOUTHWEST PASS...NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER...RECENTLY REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 48 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 53 MPH.

HURRICANE HUNTER PLANE REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF  902 MB...26.64 INCHES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 18 TO 22 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...LOCALLY AS HIGH AS 28 FEET...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL.  SOME LEVEES IN THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA COULD BE OVERTOPPED.  SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE FLOODING WILL OCCUR ELSEWHERE ALONG THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO COAST.

RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE PATH OF KATRINA ACROSS THE GULF COAST AND THE TENNESSEE VALLEY.  RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES REGION TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.
 
ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE BEGINNING THIS EVENING OVER SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF LOUISIANA...MISSISSIPPI...AND ALABAMA...AND OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

REPEATING THE 4 PM CDT POSITION...26.9 N... 89.0 W.  MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...165 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 902 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.

HURRICANE KATRINA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  23A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005
 ...POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE KATRINA MENACING THE NORTHERN GULF COAST... A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER TO DESTIN FLORIDA...AND FROM WEST OF MORGAN CITY TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH
AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM DESTIN FLORIDA EASTWARD TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA...AND FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA WESTWARD TO CAMERON.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
AT 1 PM CDT...1800Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 26.5 NORTH... LONGITUDE 88.6 WEST OR ABOUT 180 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
 
KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH...AND A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 175 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  KATRINA IS A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 205 MILES.
 
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 906 MB...26.75 INCHES.
 
COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 18 TO 22 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...LOCALLY AS HIGH AS 28 FEET ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL.  SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE FLOODING WILL OCCUR ELSEWHERE ALONG THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO COAST.
 
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE PATH OF KATRINA ACROSS THE GULF COAST AND THE TENNESSEE VALLEY.  RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES REGION TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.
 
ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE BEGINNING THIS EVENING OVER SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF LOUISIANA...MISSISSIPPI...AND ALABAMA...AND OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.
 
REPEATING THE 1 PM CDT POSITION...26.5 N... 88.6 W.  MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 175 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 906 MB.
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 4 PM CDT.

HURRICANE KATRINA SPECIAL ADVISORY NUMBER  22
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
7 AM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...KATRINA...NOW A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE...HEADED FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER TO DESTIN FLORIDA...AND FROM WEST OF MORGAN CITY TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH
AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM DESTIN FLORIDA EASTWARD TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA...AND FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA WESTWARD TO CAMERON LOUISIANA.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
AT 7 AM CDT...1200Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.7 NORTH... LONGITUDE 87.7 WEST OR ABOUT 250 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH...AND A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST AND NORTH-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 160 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. KATRINA IS A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  85 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 185 MILES.
 
DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER PLANE INDICATE THAT THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE HAS FALLEN TO NEAR 908 MB...26.81 INCHES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 15 TO 20 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...LOCALLY AS HIGH AS 25 FEET ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL.
 
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE PATH OF KATRINA ACROSS THE GULF COAST AND THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES.

ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE BEGINNING SUNDAY EVENING OVER SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF LOUISIANA...MISSISSIPPI...AND ALABAMA...AND OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.
 
REPEATING THE 7 AM CDT POSITION...25.7 N... 87.7 W.  MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...160 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 908 MB.
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 10 AM CDT.

HURRICANE KATRINA ADVISORY NUMBER  19
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
10 PM CDT SAT AUG 27 2005

...DANGEROUS HURRICANE KATRINA THREATENS THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST...A HURRICANE WARNING ISSUED...
 
AT 10 PM CDT...0300Z...A HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.  A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.
ALSO AT 10 PM CDT...0300Z...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE  WATCH HAVE BEEN ISSUED FROM THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER EASTWARD TO DESTIN FLORIDA...AND FROM WEST OF MORGAN CITY TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA.  A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.  A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
AT 10 PM CDT...0300Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED BY AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE NEAR LATITUDE 25.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 86.2 WEST OR ABOUT 335 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
 
KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 7 MPH. A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTHWEST SHOULD BEGIN ON SUNDAY.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 115 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. KATRINA IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AND KATRINA COULD BECOME A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON SUNDAY.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  45 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP  TO 160 MILES.
 
LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE PLANE WAS  939 MB...27.73 INCHES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 15 TO 20 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...LOCALLY AS HIGH AS 25 FEET ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL.

HEAVY RAINS FROM KATRINA SHOULD BEGIN TO AFFECT THE CENTRAL GULF COAST SUNDAY EVENING. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE PATH OF KATRINA.  THE HURRICANE IS STILL EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES OVER EXTREME WESTERN CUBA...AND 1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL IS EXPECTED OVER THE YUCATAN PENINSULA. 

REPEATING THE 10 PM CDT POSITION...25.0 N... 86.2 W.  MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR  7 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 939 MB.
 
AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 1 AM CDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 4 AM CDT.

HURRICANE KATRINA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  18A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
7 PM CDT SAT AUG 27 2005

...DANGEROUS HURRICANE KATRINA BEGINS TO MOVE TOWARD THE
WEST-NORTHWEST... A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY TO THE ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER.
 
A HURRICANE WARNING WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN GULF COAST LATER TONIGHT. INTERESTS IN THIS AREA SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF KATRINA.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE  INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
AT 7 PM CDT...0000Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 24.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE  85.9 WEST OR ABOUT  360 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
 
KATRINA HAS BEGUN TO MOVE TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 7 MPH.  THIS GENERAL MOTION SHOULD CONTINUE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 115 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.   KATRINA IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AND  KATRINA COULD BECOME A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE LATER TONIGHT OR  SUNDAY.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  45 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 160 MILES.  NOAA BUOY 42003 LOCATED NORTHWEST OF THE CENTER RECENTLY REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 54 MPH WITH A GUST TO 64 MPH AND 25-FOOT WAVES.
 
THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE
RECONNAISSANCE PLANE WAS 944 MB...27.88 INCHES.
 
DATA FROM BUOYS INDICATE THAT 12-FOOT WAVES ARE ALREADY APPROACHING PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN GULF COAST. STORM SURGE FLOODING ALONG THE SOUTHWESTERN COAST OF FLORIDA SHOULD SUBSIDE TONIGHT.
 
KATRINA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES OVER EXTREME WESTERN CUBA...AND 1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL IS EXPECTED OVER THE YUCATAN PENINSULA.  HEAVY RAINS FROM KATRINA SHOULD BEGIN TO AFFECT THE CENTRAL GULF COAST SUNDAY EVENING. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS
OF 15 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE CENTRAL GULF COAST.
 
REPEATING THE 7 PM CDT POSITION...24.8 N... 85.9 W.  MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR  7 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 944 MB.
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 10 PM CDT.

HURRICANE KATRINA ADVISORY NUMBER  18
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
4 PM CDT SAT AUG 27 2005

...KATRINA RE-ORGANIZING OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO...
 
AT 4 PM CDT...2100Z...THE HURRICANE WATCH IS EXTENDED WESTWARD TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA AND EASTWARD TO THE FLORIDA-ALABAMA BORDER.  A HURRICANE WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY TO THE ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER.
 
A HURRICANE WARNING WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN GULF COAST LATER TONIGHT OR SUNDAY.  INTERESTS IN THIS AREA SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF KATRINA.
 
AT 5 PM EDT...2100Z...THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS DISCONTINUED FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS.  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 24.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE  85.6 WEST OR ABOUT  380 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND ABOUT  240 MILES WEST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA.
 
KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR  7 MPH.  A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
REPORTS FROM NOAA AND AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 115 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  KATRINA IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AND KATRINA COULD BECOME A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE LATER TONIGHT OR SUNDAY.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  45 MILES... 75 KM... FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 160 MILES...260 KM.  NOAA BUOY 42003 LOCATED NORTHWEST OF THE CENTER RECENTLY REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 46 MPH WITH A GUST TO 58 MPH.
 
THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE NOAA AIRCRAFT IS  945 MB...27.91 INCHES. STORM SURGE FLOODING ALONG THE SOUTHWESTERN COAST OF FLORIDA SHOULD SUBSIDE TODAY.

KATRINA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES OVER WESTERN CUBA...AND 1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL IS EXPECTED OVER THE YUCATAN PENINSULA.  HEAVY RAINS FROM KATRINA SHOULD BEGIN TO AFFECT THE CENTRAL GULF COAST SUNDAY EVENING. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS
OF 15 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE CENTRAL GULF COAST.
 
REPEATING THE 4 PM CDT POSITION...24.6 N... 85.6 W.  MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR  7 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 945 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.

HURRICANE KATRINA ADVISORY NUMBER  17
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
10 AM CDT SAT AUG 27 2005

...CATEGORY THREE KATRINA MOVING WESTWARD IN THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO...EXPECTED TO TURN WEST-NORTHWESTWARD AND STRENGTHEN...
 
AT 10 AM CDT...1500Z...A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE
SOUTHEASTERN COAST OF LOUISIANA EAST OF MORGAN CITY TO THE MOUTH OF THE PEARL RIVER...INCLUDING METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONCHARTRAIN.  A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.  A HURRICANE WATCH WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED FOR OTHER PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN GULF COAST LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT.  INTERESTS IN THIS AREA SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF KATRINA.
 
AT 11 AM EDT...1500Z...THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN THE FLORIDA KEYS IS DISCONTINUED FROM KEY WEST EASTWARD.  A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT WEST OF KEY WEST TO THE DRY TORTUGAS.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
AT 10 AM CDT...1500Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 24.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE  85.0 WEST OR ABOUT  405 MILES... 655 KM...SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND ABOUT  200 MILES... 325 KM...WEST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA.
 
KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR  7 MPH...11 KM/HR.  A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 115 MPH...185 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  KATRINA IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS... AND KATRINA COULD BECOME A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  40 MILES... 65 KM... FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP  TO 150 MILES...240 KM.  THE AUTOMATED STATION AT THE DRY TORTUGAS RECENTLY REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 48 MPH WITH A GUST TO 55 MPH.
 
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS  940 MB...27.76 INCHES.
 
STORM SURGE FLOODING ALONG THE SOUTHWESTERN COAST OF FLORIDA SHOULD SUBSIDE TODAY.

KATRINA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES OVER WESTERN CUBA...AND 1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL IS EXPECTED OVER THE YUCATAN PENINSULA.  RAINFALL FROM KATRINA SHOULD BEGIN TO PUSH INTO THE CENTRAL GULF COAST LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO SUNDAY EVENING.
 
REPEATING THE 10 AM CDT POSITION...24.5 N... 85.0 W.  MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR  7 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 940 MB.