Katrina has been down-graded to a Category 4 hurricane but the danger is by no means passed:
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Hurricane Katrina turned slightly to the east before slamming ashore early Monday with 145-mph winds, providing some hope that the worst of the storm’s wrath might not be directed at this vulnerable, below-sea-level city.
Katrina, which weakened slightly overnight to a Category 4 storm, turned slightly eastward before hitting land, which would put the western eyewall – the weaker side of the strongest winds – over New Orleans.
But National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield warned that New Orleans would be pounded throughout the day Monday and that Katrina’s potential 20-foot storm surge was still more than capable of swamping the city.
Katrina, which a day before had grown to a 175-mph, Category 5 behemoth, made landfall about 6:10 a.m. CDT east of Grand Isle in the bayou town of Buras.
The storm hammered the Gulf Coast with huge waves and tree-bending winds. Exploding transformers lit up the predawn sky in Mobile, Ala., while tree limbs littered roads and a blinding rain whipped up sand on the deserted beach of Gulfport, Miss.
Katrina’s fury also was felt at the Louisiana Superdome, normally home of professional football’s Saints, which became the shelter of last resort for about 9,000 of the area’s poor, homeless and frail.
Electrical power at the Superdome failed at 5:02 a.m., triggering groans from the crowd. Emergency generators kicked in, but the backup power runs only reduced lighting and cannot run the air conditioning.
Here’s how the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale characterizes a Category 4 hurricane:
Winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt or 210-249 km/hr). Storm surge generally 13-18 ft above normal. More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof structure failures on small residences. Shrubs, trees, and all signs are blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Extensive damage to doors and windows. Low-lying escape routes may be cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore. Terrain lower than 10 ft above sea level may be flooded requiring massive evacuation of residential areas as far inland as 6 miles (10 km). Hurricane Charley of 2004 was a Category Four hurricane made landfall in Charlotte County, Florida with winds of 150 mph. Hurricane Dennis of 2005 struck the island of Cuba as a Category Four hurricane.
Storm surge is the abnormal rise in sea level caused by a hurricane. Most of the damage of the hurricane isn’t caused by the wind but by storm surge and flooding.
As I’m writing this the pumps have stopped draining the city of New Orleans and the worst of the storm is roughly an hour away.
Check out Michelle Catalano’s reflections on the hurricane, hurricane coverage, and links
Since the storm has turned towards the north-east we should also remember Mobile and Gulfport. Some of the worst of the storm may be headed their way.
I’ll be updating this post throughout the day.
UPDATE: Jeff Masters of Weather Underground is reporting that Katrina has weakened somewhat, the worst will miss New Orleans, and that it’s likely that the east wall of the eye will strike Biloxi and Gulfport. That still means incredible damage in New Orleans but it could have been much, much worse.
UPDATE: Fox News is reporting that the roof of the Superdome is leaking. Some 26,000 people—those who due to illness, age, injury, or other reasons were unable to leave New Orleans—are being sheltered there. The concern is that the leaks may indicate that the roof is compromised structurally and may collapse.
UPDATE: They’re now saying that the lining of roof may be leaking but the roof itself is intact.
9:01 CDT: We’re still in the early phases of what is certain to be an enormous natural disaster. We’re all glued to the coverage, feeling helpless, and wondering what to do. Something we can do is donate to the organizations who will actually be helping those in need. Here are a couple
Red Cross
Catholic Charities
WorldVision
I’ll be updating this list as the day goes on. If you have any suggestions, leave them in the comments.
10:00am CDT: The National Weather Service has downgraded Katrina to a Category 3 hurricane. That’s still a big, serious storm but it’s more good fortune.
11:00am CDT: The worst of the wind is gone from New Orleans but the real damage may be from water. There’s a helluva lot of damage there.
1:40pm CDT: Mobile, Alabama has suffered from Hurricane Katrina’s tender mercies:
MOBILE, Ala. — Rain and wind pounded the Gulf Coast today as Hurricane Katrina moved ashore, spawning tornadoes and flash flooding in Mississippi and Alabama.
In Mobile, what officials feared would happen, did happen: Part of the downtown area was under water. The Mobile Convention Center looked like it was sitting in the middle of a lake as winds pushed water from the bay into the streets.
About 10 a.m., operators of the Marriott Hotel near downtown rang up guests and invited them to a second-floor ballroom of the high-rise building, where they could watch a movie, “Robots,” and eat sandwiches. About 200 people showed up, but many stayed in their rooms.
Hurricane-force winds pounded windows on the glass-front hotel, feeling at times like a minor earthquake, and two metal flagpoles nearby were thrashed about. At midday trees, were still swaying in the strong winds.
Hotel officials kept shooing the curious away from large glass windows. They also replaced plywood covers over the front door, placed there to keep the wind out.
Electricity went out at 11 a.m., shutting off lights and air conditioning. Hotel management brought in generator-driven industrial fans to provide some relief from 80-degree temperatures and 90-percent- plus humidity.
In downtown Mobile, near the bay, water depths reached 10 to 12 feet. Hospitals along the coast report flooding on their first floors.
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said in a midday news conference that the first priority was search and rescue. But those efforts have been impeded by high winds sometimes exceeding 100 m.p.h., and attempts to render aid will be delayed until the winds die down, he said.
The next priority, Barbour said, will be to find shelter for the homeless, followed by restoring power. Throughout the morning, much of the area was under tornado warnings. Heavy winds downed trees, and power outages were widespread. During the night, some areas lit up as transformers exploded in Alabama and Mississippi.
Much of the Mississippi coast experienced hurricane-force winds extending 125 miles from the hurricane’s eye. The Florida panhandle appeared to have been spared major damage, receiving only tropical-storm winds—sustained winds of less than 74 m.p.h.—extending 230 miles from the eye.
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said in a morning news conference that search and rescue teams and some units of Florida National Guard would be on hand when needed to help residents of Louisiana and Mississippi.
Officials continued to stress that Katrina’s impact would not be confined to the coast. Inland areas will experience flooding, power outages and wind damage as the storm moves north, they warned.
Although Katrina’s force is greatly reduced it is still a powerful storm. Memphis and Nashville both appear to be in its path and may see some flooding, high winds, and even tornadoes.
2:00pm CDT: Wizbang has an excellent update post with Army Corps of Engineers graphs. New Orleans has narrowly missed utter catastrophe. Now, as Kevin notes, it’s just a horrific disaster.
Most people still don’t know the truth about exactly what happened in New Orleans. It is good to know that others are trying to tell the truth.