Hurricanes
Hurricanes
Katrina
• 1833 deaths
• 125 billion in damage
Their Origin
Hurricane Prediction: A Mixed
Report
• During the past thirty years there has been
substantial in improvement is hurricane
track forecasts as computer models
improved and more data became available
to describe their environment.
• Over the same period only minimal
improvement is hurricane intensity
forecasts.
Substantial Promise
• The use of higher resolution prediction and
better data around and in hurricanes should
result in better intensity predictions.
15-km grid spacing
1.67 km grid spacing
Katrina
48-h Before: Virtually a Perfect Forecast of Track
Katrina
• But the intensity was not well forecast until the day
before….
• Friday’s intensity prediction (storm hit Monday AM)
HURRICANE KATRINA DISCUSSION NUMBER 12
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
11 AM EDT FRI AUG 26 2005
FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS
INITIAL
26/1500Z 25.1N 82.2W 70 KT
12HR VT 27/0000Z 25.2N 83.1W 75 KT
24HR VT 27/1200Z 25.5N 84.3W 80 KT
36HR VT 28/0000Z 26.2N 85.2W 85 KT
48HR VT 28/1200Z 27.1N 85.9W 90 KT
72HR VT 29/1200Z 29.5N 86.3W 100 KT
96HR VT 30/1200Z 34.5N 83.5W 35 KT...INLAND
120HR VT 31/1200Z 40.5N 77.0W 25 KT...DISSIPATING INLAND
•
•
•
•
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1011 AM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005
...DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED...
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
.HURRICANE KATRINA...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. 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.
Extratropical Transition