Katrina officially a Cat 5 hurricane

[HeeBGBz]

160 mph winds. Sucks to be us.

Good luck, everybody.

[KayLaw]

1. It's amazing, isn't it?

I just saw that on the Weather Channel. I wonder if this will become the norm for hurricanes. We live in the Tampa Bay area and one older meteorologist mentioned he'd never seen the Gulf temperatures this high

The people in the threatened areas really just need to get out. There's still plenty of time.

[HeeBGBz]

4. Considering it is just now moving into the hot waters

Just now starting to enter the 90 degree water temps closer to land.

[jobycom]

12. There's plenty of time, but not plenty of ways out.

There's only one real north-south highway on the Mississippi Coast, and it's only four lanes. The rest is two laned stuff. You could head east on I-10 to Mobile and go north. If you head west you'll get caught in the New Orleans evacuation, and they don't have any good highways, either.

They've talked about it for decades. There're not enough ways to get out. People should at least get away from the beach, though.

[HamdenRice]

22. Isn't it better to head east?!?

I mean you can't outrun it the same direction it's going, but you can dodge it and then head north, no?

[castiron]

36. yes, that is what my mom did last night

and slept in the car with husband and 2 dogs. Now they are driving west to Dallas to stay with us.

[jobycom]

44. Yes, sorry, that's what I tried to say. East, then north in Alabama

[Blue_Roses]

34. I think they have closed down traffic comint into to NO

so they could get people out faster.

[Blue_Roses]

35. this is really sad

NO has so many historic buildings ...this is going wipe them out...damn:(

[castiron]

38. We can hope for the best with those old buildings:

we have reason to be hopeful. They've been there a long time and this storm could do anything.

[fortyfeetunder]

47. The meteorologist's observation :Gulf temps

made me wonder....global warming??

And this is just the midpoint of the hurricane season.

If this phenomenon remains, there might not be a Gulf in 3-5 years.

[Old Vet]

2. This is getting real ugly, Even stronger!

[madrchsod]

3. good luck to you

[arcos]

5. CNN screenshot...

[ordinaryaveragegirl]

6. Please be careful...

And get out of there, or to a shelter, as soon as you can. We'll be thinking of all of you who may be in her path.

[FLSurfer]

7. Best of luck.

Leave. Don't for a second, think of riding it out.
That advice is from a Floridian.

[Jeanette in FL]

11. I agree, another Floridian here

Get out now. You still have time to get to a safer place. I just can't believe the size of this hurricane. Prayers being sent for all in harms way.

[Pallas180]

49. Yes, another Floridian - get out - anyway you can - we had

Jeanne and the one before that and didn't even take the direct hit
where we were -which was only category 3, some wind gusts went up
to 105 mph and took off almost half my shingles..water coming through the roof - that was a year ago and people are still fixing their roofs or houses - no shingles - insurance companies not showing up. FEMA was helpful if you didn't have insurance.

But with winds from 160 to 175 mph in this damn Katrina....and NO being below sea level - this is going to be obliteration like Homestead.

I pray for the people to get out of NO to safe places.

Wish I could help in some way.

I think they're going to lose everything and will need plenty.

Damn, I always wanted to see New Orleans and was planning a trip
this year.

PS - I spent an entire night holding back my middle sliding glass door which was bowing in from the wind, it was the only door or window we didn't have boarded. The sounds of the wind ripping roof and things away and whipping around and the door trying to cave in, and it hit an night, was really scary.

I can't imagine the terror of a category 5!

[Lorien]

53. Seconded from another Floridian

I know that at least one DUer still plans to "ride it out". Please pack and go now, frustrated_lefty!

[theHandpuppet]

8. Pressure now at 910 mb

I believe Camille at its strongest was 909 mb

[Deb]

13. dear god, this is horrible

I remember the damage Camille caused in Biloxi and up here in NY. Did our NOLA DUers evac the area?

[KyndCulture]

15. a few said they were staying...

My parents lived through camille... this is one monster storm.

Sending prayers and energy to our friends down south!

[jobycom]

16. That's right

And I think that's the lowest on record of storms to hit the US. Ivan was 946, even bad ones are rarely lower than the 930s.

Chart for comparison at this link. It this think strenthens, it could be Camille. If it stays the same, it will be one of the worst on records.

These things often weaken a little when they hit shallow water, as we've seen lately. Keep fingers crossed. But prepare for the worst.

http://www.geocities.com/hurricanene/gulfcoast.htm

[merbex]

17. CNN just said 908

and that the lowest ever recorded 892

[colinmom71]

18. Lowest recorded pressure was Gilbert at 888 milibars...

In September 1988. It never hit the US, though it devastated the Yucatan peninsula and mainland Mexico. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Gilbert

In regards to barometric pressure, Katrina is now the third strongest storm recorded, with the second being the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 (est. 892 millibars). And the Gulf waters were nowhere near as warm in 1935 and 1969 as they are today... I'm almost too scared to think on how daytime heating is going to contribute to Katrina's strength over the next 12 hours...

[Massacure]

21. Katrina is at 908 last I heard. Camillew as 905 at strongest. Ivan 910.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/show.html

[jobycom]

45. That's not at landfall, I think, that's lowest ratings

It disagrees with this chart, and I think it's because the other chart is lowest pressure, not pressure at landfall.

http://www.geocities.com/hurricanene/gulfcoast.htm

[Massacure]

50. Ah, I see. Thanks for clearing that up.

[qanda]

9. Oh dear Lord

That will be disatrous! Where did this storm come from?

Please get out if you are in this storm's way. I just saw a picture of this storm bearing down on LA and MS and it actually brought a tear to my eyes. Please stay safe.

[jobycom]

10. 15 to 20 foot storm surge predicted

I take back what I said about it not being Camille. It could get there.

Sometimes these things weaken at the last minute as they hit shallower water. Sometimes they back off or turn unexpectedly.

Damn. My sister lives in a trailer, on a hill.

[evilqueen]

14. New Orleans is at sea level.

And there are people there without transport out. And no national guard to help, because they're all in Iraq.

Where's Air Force 1 when you need it?

[MidnightWind]

19. I feel like a preacher here warning that hell is about to unleash its fury

on you, but that's exactly what it's like. Please remember that Hurricane Hugo, which was "only" a Cat 4 (140 mph winds)when it made its initial landfall in Charleston, but 12 hours and some 175 miles later struck and devestated Charlotte, NC with winds still at 100 miles per hour. It also spawned tornadoes in its path and did damage across a wide geographic area. If you are in the path, even if your miles inland--GET OUT NOW.

[Roland99]

26. N.O. is actually BELOW sea level (protected by levies)

<--- cueing up Led Zeppelin's When the Levee Breaks

[hootinholler]

27. NO is below sea level.

Around 6' if my memory is serving me correctly. An 18' levee surrounds the city. So when the surge covers the levee the bowl will fill to 24'.

I hope they have charges set at strategic points on the levee to let the water back out.

-Hoot

[HereSince1628]

20. maps of Corp of Engineer Levee hurricane levee heights

http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/pao/response/notov3.asp

If I'm reading this right 20 ft surge (with waves of unknown height on top of that) is higher than most of these.

[Raiden]

23. OMFG! This is scary

Is this gonna happen every year now??? I'm glad I live in Kentucky, but I hope people on the Gulf Coast will be okay.

[HereSince1628]

24. Yes, scary, and guess where much of US refinery capacity is???

If this storm stays a 5 and stays its current course, it will touch everyone in the US.

[ohio_liberal]

28. I heard local speculation that gas prices will jump....

as soon as the markets open on Monday. I'm wondering if I should go fill up today?

[HereSince1628]

29. I expect gas to jump to over $3 here in Wisconsin.

I expect a Cat 5 will disrupt refining longer than one tank of gas is going to make a difference.

[hootinholler]

30. Wonder no longer.

Yes go fill. As squirrelly asthe market is right now, I wouldn't be surprised to see $0.10/ a gal hike first thing in the AM, before she hits anything.

-Hoot

[ohio_liberal]

31. Ok, I will do that

I'm sending my son to fill up both cars today. I'm afraid, I won't deny it. It isn't just gas prices either. Last year we got nailed by the remnants of Ivan and my house was seriously damaged and the path of this one is going straight through Ohio. Who would think someone in Ohio would be afraid of hurricanes? But I am. I can't go through all that again or this time I'll crack.

[Roland99]

25. Wind forecast for 24hrs from now is 174mph!

There's supposed to be another eyewall replacement and I saw some forecasted winds for 24 hrs from now to be 174mph! That'll mean gusts well over 200mph. That puts sustained winds at the F3 tornado level and gusts at the F4 level. You know what damage and F3 tornado wreaks, right? Usually in a confined area, though. Now, imagine an F3 tornado many miles wide.

[peacebuzzard]

32. HeeBGBz, are you staying?

How are things at the animal shelter?
I am worried about you and your location.

[Blue_Roses]

33. this storm is nothing to play around with

it covers the entire gulf.

[CabalPowered]

37. Mandatory evacuation for NO

Just now on wwltv.com

[CabalPowered]

39. Includes provision for commandeering cars and property

nt

[castiron]

40. new orleans web cam

http://www.nola.com/fqcam/

[oddtext]

41. All need to get out now.

we can hope for success in the evacuation; this ain't to be messed with.

hopefully all who will be left in the city is Faux Noos reporters and crews standing around outside like they do. :banghead:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

42. A look at the five day path:

[RebelOne]

46. Katrina, stay away from Georgia!!

Track path yesterday showed it headed up here to North Georgia. Looks like it is going to bypass us.

[amandabeech]

48. Any chance that the path will go further west into Illinois,

Missouri, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, etc. where the farmers desperately need water?

[bluedog]

43. hope you are all heeding the warning

do not stay.leave...we been through the 3 and 4 here in Fl and its just so touchy ..no one knows what will really happen.....leave early...the worst thing to happen is it turns a bit and you are driving into its path..per Fl last year......head out of the state north.best of luck.....keep safe!

[Massacure]

51. Sustained winds of 175 miles per hour.

I would NOT want to be on the receiving end of that.

[Pallas180]

54. Sustained winds175 MPH, but wind gusts will go over 200 - in Jeanne

the sustained winds in Florida were 75 mph, but it was the wind gusts
at 105 MPH that took a lot of my roof.

[Pirate Smile]

52. In the camera shot CNN keeps showing of cars evacuating, the far

left lane is the only one completely full and it is crawling. The other three lanes have a few stragglers and the side going the opposite direction has a few cars.

Why is there only one main lane full?

When do they turn and make the other half of the highway one way out of town?

Just curious and a little confused.

[spuddonna]

55. WWL coverage...

One of the reporters mentioned that as they evac'ed to Baton Rouge they realized there were 'no birds' in an area known for them... The wild ducks had taken off... The animals know some bad stuff is coming...