Typical Late Summer Regime Through the Week...Tropics Active...

Monday, August 30, 2010

***The blog stays in short form until further notice because of the tropics being so active.***

SW Louisiana Forecast Discussion...Today's forecast panned out right in line with what I laid out for you last night (always a good feeling when it verifies). It was a day of just slightly better than normal coverage of scattered shower and thunderstorm activity. There was a load of humidity all compliments of an elongated trough situated across the Gulf Coastal Plain. This feature essentially served as a warm front over the weekend, and ushered deep tropical air and tons of humidity back into the region after a few days reprieve during the latter half of last week. The elongated trough helped to initiate the usual afternoon sea breeze feature, and showers and storms occurred at random sites across the forecast area. Skies were generally Partly to Mostly Cloudy, and temperatures warmed up to near normal levels on this Monday afternoon with readings in the lower 90s after a morning start in the mid 70s. Because of residual low-level moisture and the high humidity and wet grounds from weekend rain there were some areas of patchy fog this morning. All convection has ceased tonight, but given the deep tropical air mass in place, one or two nocturnals can't be ruled out, neither can the prospects of some early morning low clouds and fog again. It will continue to be very humid with generally Partly Cloudy to Mostly Clear skies and temperatures residing in the mid to upper 70s by morning.

The forecast as we round out August will be one that typifies a late summer pattern. The elongated trough will fizzle out over the area, and some drier air will work into the mid and upper levels. There will be plenty of low-level moisture in place, and with relatively the same synoptic set up in place as Monday very similar conditions are expected. Scattered showers and storms will build in the offshore waters during the morning hours, and as the sea breeze initiates a random scattering of showers and storms will occur across the forecast area. Partly Cloudy skies will prevail, and temperatures will be around average once again reaching into the lower 90s. Heat indices will be around 100 degrees. As we head into the new month at mid-week we keep the same old weather. The only difference is that the chance for scattered afternoon convection will decrease to just a slight chance. This will occur as drier air works into the lower levels in response to the persistent ridge to our NE that will work its way back into the area. The persistent onshore flow will keep the sea breeze active, and it is this alone that will stir up a few renegade storms during peak heating hours. Partly Cloudy skies are expected for Wednesday with highs in the low to mid 90s...seasonable to say the least.

The latter half of the work week will offer up a continuation of the standard late summer offerings. Drier air will continue to be in place in the mid and upper levels, and at the same time the lower levels will continue drying out somewhat as the ridge from the East continues to build in further. Don't let the fact that some drier air will filter into the lower levels fool you, it won't make it any less humid. There is no weak cool front to provide a reprieve this time. Rain chances will be no more than 20% each day Thursday-Friday, and you can consider yourself mighty lucky if you get a downpour on either one of those days. Similar temperatures are to be expected with low to mid 90s for highs, and generally mid 70s for lows. As we head into the weekend, not much change is in the offing for the entire Labor Day weekend. This is good news for all weekend activities. All football games should be dry, even the ones held during the day on Saturday with a very limited chance for scattered afternoon showers and storms. It'll be hot with plenty of humidity. Average highs will be nearly average for early September with low to mid 90s continuing, and average lows will be near the seasonal norm as well in the mid 70s. All in all, it should be a fairly uneventful Labor Day weekend. Rain chances will be no greater than 20% chance each day through Labor Day. The weather may get a bit more eventful at points to our NE along the Eastern Seaboard late this week, with the advancement of Hurricane Earl, but he will have no impact on our weather. More on that in the tropical section.


Preliminary Numbers & Zone Forecast:


LCH  76/92  76/93  75/93  20 30 10 20 10 20
LFT   76/93  75/93  76/92  20 30 10 20 10 20
BPT   76/94  75/93  75/94  20 30 10 20 10 20
AEX  73/94  74/94  75/95  20 30 10 20 10 20
POE  74/94  74/94  75/95  20 30 10 20 10 20
ARA  77/91  76/92  77/95 20 30 10 20 10 20


Tonight...Partly Cloudy with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Low 76. Light SSE wind.

Tuesday...Partly Cloudy with a 30% chance of scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms. High 92. SSE wind 10-15 mph.

Tuesday Night...Partly Cloudy. Low 76. Light SSE wind.

Wednesday...Partly Cloudy with a 20% chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms. High 93. SSE wind 10-15 mph.

Wednesday Night...Partly Cloudy. Low 75. Light SSE wind.

Thursday...Partly Cloudy with a 20% chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms. High 93. SSE wind 10-15 mph.


Tuesday 8/31/10 Daily Planner

6a.m.

Weather: Mostly Clear

Temp: 76
Rain: 10%
Wind: SSE 3

9a.m.

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Temp: 82
Rain: 10%
Wind: SSE 6

Noon

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Temp: 87
Rain: 20%
Wind: SSE 12
H.I.: 95

3p.m.

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Temp: 92
Rain: 30%
Wind: SSE 15
H.I.: 100

6p.m.

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Temp: 88
Rain: 20%
Wind: SSE 10
H.I.: 98

9p.m.

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Temp: 83
Rain: 10%
Wind: SSE 3


Drew's 7 Day Outlook


Tuesday
8-31-10

Low: 76
High: 92
Rain: 30%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 95-100
U.V.: 11- Very High


Wednesday
9-1-10
2 Year Anniversary of Hurricane Gustav

Low: 76
High: 93
Rain: 20%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 95-100
U.V.: 11- Very High


Thursday
9-2-10

Low: 75
High: 93
Rain: 20%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 100-105
U.V.: 11- Very High


Friday
9-3-10

Low: 75
High: 94
Rain: 20%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 100-105
U.V.: 11- Very High


Saturday
9-4-10

Low: 76
High: 95
Rain: 10%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 100-105
U.V.: 11- Very High


Sunday
9-5-10

Low: 75
High: 95
Rain: 10%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 100-105
U.V.: 11- Very High


Monday
9-6-10
Labor Day

Low: 76
High: 94
Rain: 20%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 100-105
U.V.: 11- Very High


...Tropical Update...


The tropics continue to be active, and as one storm dies another one is amping up in a big way tonight. We also have the birth of a new storm, the former 97L, has become Fiona over the open waters of the Atlantic. Danielle is decaying and has become a large extratropical or post-tropical storm, and Earl is enormous as it brushes by the Caribbean Islands with the chances of a possible impact to the East Coast of the U.S. later this week on the rise. While there is a plethora of activity to discuss in the Atlantic at this time, all is quiet closer to home in the Gulf of Mexico with the idea that things will stay this way for awhile. Let's look at some specifics for each storm starting with Danielle.

Decaying Danielle...Danielle is in the process of dying over the colder waters of the North Atlantic. It has merged with the initial trough that caused her to turn to the NE, and has become the extratropical entity that it was forecast to become. It weakened to just under hurricane strength Monday afternoon, and will remain a large and powerful extratropical storm as it heads for the British Isles in the coming days. High winds and seas will occur over the Northern Atlantic. We can finally put the season's first major hurricane, luckily a harmless one, to rest. The final advisory has been written on Danielle, and this will be the last mention of her here on the blog as well. Here is the final advisory.

Tropical Storm Danielle Advisory

10p.m. Monday, August 30, 2010

...Danielle Dying Over the Open Waters of the North Atlantic...Now an Extratropical System...

Latitude: 41.3 N

Longitude: 47.1 W

This position is about 475 miles SE of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

Maximum Sustained Winds: 70 mph w/ higher gusts. Further weakening is expected over the next 24 hours, and Danielle will merge with a large non[-tropical low pressure system over the cold waters of the Northern Atlantic within a day or two. Tropical storm force winds extend out to 275 miles from the center of circulation.

Movement: E or 80 degrees @ 16 mph. This general motion is forecast to continue with an increase in forward speed over the next couple of days. A turn to the NE is expected by late Wednesday.

Minimum Central Pressure: 28.79" or 975 mb.

Now, onto Earl, which will garner many of the news headlines in the coming days. Earl brushed by the Northern Leeward Islands late Sunday night and Monday morning bringing some damage and lots of rain to those areas. Earl continued to strengthen in the process, and has ballooned from a category 2 to a category 4 tonight. Earl continues to mature, and the environment out ahead of it will favor further maturation. Earl has undergone a period of rapid intensification on Monday, and the cyclone has a very discernable eye at this time. Thankfully, the season's second major storm is only dealing a glancing blow to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The eye of Earl is currently located about 100 miles to the NNE of San Juan. It seems poised to threaten the Turks and Caicos Islands and maybe portions of the Bahamas next. Earl will maintain its major hurricane status for the next couple of days, and it wouldn't be entirely out of the realm of possibility for Earl to reach category 5 status at some point in his journey over the warm waters of the Atlantic. This idea is not reflected in the current official intensity forecast, but with such high oceanic heating content available over the Atlantic Basin the idea of this occurring can't be ignored. Either way, Earl will at least by a category 4 for the next couple of days. Earl will continue on a WNW heading in the short-term as he is steered by a building anti-cyclonic flow over the Eastern Atlantic. The ridge responsible for the anti-cyclonic flow will continue building Westward, and ultimately steer Earl on a more Westerly course than his predecessor.

Now, while the forecast is nearly impeccable here in the short term, the long term forecast still has lots of question marks. The threat to the East Coast of the U.S. from Cape Hatteras, NC to the New England States likely around Friday if such a threat were to occur. Ultimately, the ridge that is currently steering Earl will give way to an approaching trough as Earl nears the periphery of the Atlantic Ridge. This should result in Earl beginning to take a right-hand turn toward the NW. This will ultimately steer it closer to the U.S. Coastline. Models diverge on just how close an actual landfall will be in the U.S., but most suggests that Earl will pass close enough to produce some fairly adverse weather all along the East Coast from North Carolina to Maine in the Thursday-Saturday time frame. Further adjustments to the eventual track of Earl will be forthcoming. After Earl makes the right-hand turn to the NW by Wednesday, he will continue to gain in latitude and as the trough strengthens and advances towards the storm it will begin to turn it NE paralleling the coastline. This should occur by Thursday as Earl is traversing the Gulf Stream. Earl is projected to remain a major hurricane of at least category 3 strength through Thursday when some wind shear will increase from the SW thanks to the aforementioned trough. This will make strengthening come to an abrupt end, and Earl should begin weakening at this point in time. It will still be quite a formidable hurricane as it makes the turn to parallel the East Coast. It may bring tropical storm conditions to many of the major cities along the East Coast, and depending how close it gets to the actual coastline, hurricane conditions somewhere along the Eastern Seaboard can't be ruled out. Stay tuned! While we will watch and wait to see where Earl will ultimately wind up, it is great news that Earl poses no threat to the Gulf Coast at all. A direct hit on the Eastern U.S. is not currently depicted, but again can't be ruled out. In 5 days, the storm is shown to be inland over Nova Scotia as a tropical storm. The wind shear and colder water will help to weaken Earl in the day 4-5 time period. All interests from the Carolinas to New England should closely monitor the progress of this dangerous hurricane over the next several days especially given the high amount of uncertainty in the forecast track beyond 3 days.

Hurricane Earl Advisory

10p.m. Monday, August 30, 2010

...Earl, the Season's Second Major Hurricane Gives a Glancing Blow to Puerto Rico & the U.S. Virgin Islands...

Latitude: 19.9 N

Longitude: 66.2 W

This places the eye of Hurricane Earl about 105 miles N of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Maximum Sustained Winds: 135 mph w/ higher gusts- category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Some fluctuations in strength are likely during the next 24 hours. Hurricane force winds extend out to 70 miles from the eye, while tropical storm force winds extend outward to 200 miles from the eye of Earl.

Movement: WNW or 295 degrees @ 14 mph. This general WNW motion is expected through Tuesday morning, but a turn to the NW is expected by Tuesday evening. On this track, the center of Hurricane Earl will pass well North of Puerto Rico Tuesday morning, and pass East of the Turks and Caicos Islands Tuesday night through Wednesday morning.

Minimum Central Pressure: 27.55" or 933 mb.

Watches/Warnings...A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Puerto Rico including the islands of Vieques and Culebra, the U.S. & British Virgin Islands, & the Turks & Caicos Islands.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the SE Bahamas.

Wind...Expect tropical storm conditions to slowly subside over the British & U.S. Virgin Islands Tuesday morning. Puerto Rico will experience tropical storm conditions through Tuesday morning. Some higher wind gusts are expected over the higher elevations in Puerto Rico before winds subside in that region by Tuesday afternoon. Tropical storm force winds will reach the Turks and Caicos Islands by Tuesday night.

Rainfall...Rainfall totals of 4-8" with higher isolated amounts to near 12" are expected across Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, & the Northern Leeward Islands.

Finally, Fiona...Fickle Fiona Flounders Her Way Through the Tropical Atlantic...Is she looking for Shrek? Not sure about that, but I am sure we have the 6th named storm of the 2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Fiona formed on Monday from the former Invest 97L. Fiona, like its predecessors, is in the formative stages as it moves further away from the West Coast of Africa. It is the season's third Cape Verde storm. This is the season's 6th named storm, and it has formed ahead of the normal climatology for this point in the season. Fiona is still in its formative stage, and the environment ahead of Fiona favors additional development at least in the short-term. Only a modest intensification is shown for Fiona through 5 days by the National Hurricane Center. Fiona may have a hard time getting her act together early on because of the relatively close behind Earl.

The environment will be favorable for modest development for the next couple of days, but the favorable set up may be eliminated during the latter portion of this work week. Fiona will be moving into an area where the shear will be increasing, and into a pocket of cooler air as a result of Earl's upwelling. These factors will likely combine to keep Fiona a low end tropical storm through the period, and it's not entirely impossible that Fiona could weaken all together. However, at this time that is not reflected, and it is also just as possible for more strengthening to occur that is currently expected. We are in the early stages with Fiona, so there is plenty of time to determine an exact track for the storm, although it may follow very closely to Keith. Fiona is moving Westward at a very good clip right now as she is being steered by the same anti-cyclone that is steering Earl. These steering currents will continue for the next day or so before Fiona begins to feel the trailing steering currents from Earl, and makes a turn to the NW. Fiona will likely slow down its forward progression as well in a few days as the steering currents become weaker between the ridge to the East of the storm and the trough to the West. Fiona could be a threat to the East Coast of the United States down the road as well, but it too appears as though it will miss the Gulf of Mexico.

Tropical Storm Fiona Advisory

10p.m. Monday, August 30, 2010

...Fiona, the Season's 6th Named Storm is Moving Westward Rapidly...

Latitude: 15.5 N

Longitude: 51.8 W

This is 670 miles East of the Lesser Antilles.

Maximum Sustained Winds: 40 mph w/ higher gusts. Fiona is a minimal tropical storm at this time, but some strengthening is expected through Tuesday. Tropical storm force winds extend outward to 140 miles from the center.

Movement: W or 280 degrees @ 23 mph. A turn toward the WNW and a decrease in forward speed are expected through Wednesday. On this forecast track, the center of Fiona is forecast to pass through the Northern Leeward Islands on Wednesday.

Minimum Central Pressure: 29.74" or 1007 mb.

Watches/Warnings...A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius.

Elsewhere in the tropics, another healthy tropical wave has emerged off the coast of Africa. This wave seems poised to develop in the coming days. Time will tell if this will become Gaston. It is on the board as Invest 98L for now.

No other tropical cyclone formation is expected through Wednesday.

...Marine Forecast...


Tonight...East winds around 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Tuesday...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Tuesday Night...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Wednesday...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Wednesday Night And Thursday...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.


Have a great Tuesday & God Bless!
-DM-

Muggy Monday...Standard Summer Scenario Takes Us Into September...

Sunday, August 29, 2010

The blog will be in short form for this update due to all the Katrina coverage. Regular format returns Monday.

SW Louisiana Forecast Discussion...5 years ago today Hurricane Katrina made landfall in SE Louisiana. It was by far the worst natural and man-made disaster ever. For more on Katrina, scroll down to the three previous posts below this one for a plethora of information on Katrina as we take a moment to look back and reflect on this somber anniversary. The muggies have returned with a vengeance this weekend as expected. The brief reprieve from the horrid heat and humidity of the summer of 2010 was nice while it lasted, but it has all gone by the wayside now. A deep flow of tropical air off the Gulf has returned to the region in response to a weak surface low that developed in the Gulf along the old frontal boundary. This boundary transitioned into an elongated trough and acted as a warm front feature as it lifted Northward Saturday. The weak surface low drifted inland today, and the end result was a scattered distribution of showers and thunderstorms. Heavier rain amounts occurred across the Eastern half of the area and over into SE Louisiana. The lower levels of the atmosphere have moistened up significantly, and this will greet us for the new work week to keep the mention of showers and thunderstorms in the forecast. A few showers and/or storms can't be ruled out tonight with the deep tropical air mass in place, but overall the loss of daytime heating should keep most of us dry. Generally Partly to Mostly Cloudy skies will be expected. Overnight lows will be in the mid to upper 70s, this comes after Sunday afternoon maximums in the lower 90s for most.

Not much change in the atmospheric set up is expected for Monday. The weak surface low and associated trough will remain in place across the region, and as the late August sun heats up the atmosphere, scattered showers and storms will initiate across the threshold of the forecast area. The trough will enhance the usual sea breeze activity, so that a better than average chance for convection should be realized. Convection may be ongoing in the coastal waters at dawn Monday given the rich, tropical air mass at the favorable set up for nocturnal activity over these parts. These storms will lift Northward over land Monday. The day should start on a dry and humid note for most, but many of us will get a nice wet down in the afternoon thanks to the enhanced moisture. Certainly, not everyone will get rain, and those that miss the boat will continue to bask in a hot, late August sun. Afternoon highs should average the low 90s, while heat indices will exceed the 100 degree mark. It could approach 105 in some locations, but it shouldn't be near as bad as the oppressive heat of earlier this month. As far as rainfall totals are concerned, locations which receive the heaviest rainfall and sustain a direct hit from one of Mother Nature's random air-conditioners could see in excess of 2". However, for the most part rainfall totals should be an inch or less on average. Most of the convection will fade away for the overnight hours, but again one or two storms over land will be possible with a better chance of nocturnal marine activity on the slate. Overnight lows will be in the usual mid to upper 70s range.

August comes to an end on Tuesday, but the typical summer pattern rolls on. The elongated surface trough will eventually fade away, but in its wake a plethora of low-level moisture will remain in place. Thus, a chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms will be regulated once again. It should essentially turn to be a normal late summer day. Drier air will take over in the mid and upper levels of the atmosphere in the wake of the elongated trough, but it is the high amounts of low-level moisture that will aid in the typical dose of scattered afternoon showers and storms. High temperatures will be at or slightly above normal for the end of August in the 90-95 range. While this is still in the hot category, it is bearable compared to where it was 10 years ago on August 31 (which is the date on Tuesday). On that date, the all-time record high was established at Lake Charles, and all other reporting sites in SW Louisiana for that matter. The mercury soared to an incredibly oppressive 107 degrees. Certainly, nothing like that is in the fold during this forecast period. The oppressive heat we've had this summer doesn't even compare to that most incredible heat wave back in 2000. The heat indices could be close to the danger category given the high humidity values in place. Partly Cloudy should be the main sky condition throughout the day, except of course, where the scattered storms develop. A quiet overnight is on tap as all convection fizzles out with the loss of daytime heating.

The remainder of the forecast period Wednesday-Sunday will resemble a typical pattern for early September. High pressure will be in control off to our East and West, while over our area a bit of a weakness will be in place. The fringe effects of the persistent Bermuda High will be the dominant weather feature, and as a result of this we will experience a continued onshore flow with plenty of low-level moisture in place. Drier air will continue in the mid to upper levels of the atmosphere. This pattern will favor the usual sea breeze induced convection during the afternoon hours with scattered showers and storms occurring at random locations around the forecast area each day. Partly Cloudy should prevail with morning lows in the mid to upper 70s, while afternoon highs exceed 90, and approach 95 in some areas. This is basically normal for early September as I mentioned previously. Better chances for the usual scattered convection will exist for the Wednesday-Thursday period (30%), but for Friday-Sunday rain chances will diminish just a fraction (20%) as somewhat drier air works its way into the lower-levels due to a change in orientation of the controlling highs. This bodes well for all events scheduled for the long Labor Day Holiday weekend. Any convection that forms during the day with be subject to dissipation after sunset leaving warm and humid conditions in place for the overnight period each night. This should provide for no weather worries for the first full weekend of football at the High School and College level. Later this week, I'll get specific about forecasts for each game, but pick out your favorite high school's game and the McNeese game, and there will be no worries. LSU is on the road in the GeorgiaDome, so the same applies there. The active tropical entities will have no impact on our weather...more on that in the tropical section below. Looking long range, the typical summer regime should carry us all the way through the Labor Day weekend, and into next week. There are no signs of a real cold front yet, but also I don't see any signs of another oppressive heat wave either.


Preliminary Numbers & Zone Forecast:


LCH  75/91  75/92  75/93  20 40 10 30 10 30
LFT   75/90  75/92  76/93  20 40 10 30 10 30
BPT   76/91  75/91  76/93  20 40 10 30 10 30
AEX  73/93  73/95  74/95  20 40 10 30 10 20
POE  74/93  74/94  74/95  20 40 10 30 10 30
ARA  76/89  75/91  76/92  20 40 10 30 10 30


Tonight...Partly Cloudy with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Low 75. SSE wind 5-10 mph.

Monday...Partly to Mostly Cloudy with a 40% chance of scattered showers & thunderstorms. High 91. SSE wind 10-15 mph.

Monday Night...Partly Cloudy. Low 75. Light SSE wind.

Tuesday...Partly Cloudy with a 30% chance of scattered showers & thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 92. SSE wind 10-15 mph.

Tuesday Night...Mostly Clear to Partly Cloudy. Low 75. Light SSE wind.

Wednesday...Partly Cloudy with a 30% chance of scattered afternoon showers & thunderstorms. High 93. SSE wind 10-15 mph.


Monday 8/30/10 Daily Planner

6a.m.

Weather: Partly Cloudy, A Few Coastal Storms Perhaps

Temp: 75

Rain: 10%
Wind: SSE 2

9a.m.

Weather: Partly Cloudy, Storms Firing Up

Temp: 82
Rain: 20%
Wind: SSE 5

Noon

Weather: Partly Cloudy, Sea Breeze Initiation

Temp: 87
Rain: 40%
Wind: SSE 11
H.I.: 94

3p.m.

Weather: Partly Cloudy, Scattered Storms

Temp: 92
Rain: 40%
Wind: SSE 14
H.I.: 100

6p.m.

Weather: Partly Cloudy, Storms Winding Down

Temp: 88
Rain: 30%
Wind: SSE 10
H.I.: 98

9p.m.

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Temp: 83
Rain: 10%
Wind: SSE 4


Drew's 7 Day Outlook


Monday
8-30-10

Low: 75
High: 92
Rain: 40%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 98-103
U.V.: 10- High


Tuesday
8-31-10

Low: 75
High: 92
Rain: 30%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 98-103
U.V.: 10- High


Wednesday
9-1-10
2 Year Anniversary of Hurricane Gustav

Low: 75
High: 93
Rain: 30%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 100-105
U.V.: 11- Very High


Thursday
9-2-10

Low: 76
High: 93
Rain: 30%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 100-105
U.V.: 11- Very High


Friday
9-3-10

Low: 76
High: 94
Rain: 20%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 100-105
U.V.: 11- Very High


Saturday
9-4-10

Low: 75
High: 95
Rain: 20%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 100-105
U.V.: 11- Very High


Sunday
9-5-10

Low: 76
High: 95
Rain: 20%
Wind: SSE 10-15
H.I.: 100-105
U.V.: 11- Very High


...Tropical Update...

The tropics remain active as we near the end of August, and on this anniversary of the worst storm ever. Thankfully, there is nothing like that out there at the moment. We still have 2 hurricanes to discuss, but one will have no direct impact on the U.S., and one may threaten the Eastern Seaboard later in the week, but even it will have no impacts on the Gulf Coast Region. We also continue to watch the progression of another strong tropical wave in the Far Eastern Atlantic which seems poised to strengthen and become the next named storm of the season.

First, here's the latest on Hurricane Danielle. I won't spend a whole lot of time on Danielle. Danielle is in its decaying stages. It has safely bypassed Bermuda with no more than an increase in winds and seas and some occasional squalls. A trough late August trough has begun to shunt Danielle off to the NE, away from all landmasses, and affecting only shipping interests in the North Atlantic. Danielle is going to pass very near the site where the Titanic sank, and all operations on that expedition will have to be ceased. We won't have to discuss Danielle much longer as it is transitioning into an extratropical entity. It peaked as a category 4 storm on Friday, but has been weakening for the last 24-36 hours as it moves into an area of colder SSTs and ingests some shear in response to the aforementioned trough. Danielle will likely be downgraded to a Tropical Storm on Monday, and complete its transition to an extratropical cyclone within the next 24 hours. Here is the latest information on Danielle.

Hurricane Danielle Advisory

10p.m. CDT Sunday, August 29, 2010

...Danielle on the Downward Spiral...No Threat to Land...

Latitude: 39.3 N

Longitude: 53.0 W

This places the eye of weakening Danielle about 510 miles S of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

Maximum Sustained Winds: 80 mph w/ higher gusts. Danielle is a category 1 storm, and a continued weakening trend is expected through Monday. A transition to a large and powerful extratropical cyclone is expected to be completed on Monday. Hurricane force winds extend outward to 85 miles from the eye, while tropical storm force winds now extend outward to 310 miles from the eye.

Movement: NE or 45 degrees @ 16 mph. This motion is expected to continue through Tuesday.

Minimum Central Pressure: 28.94" or 980 mb.

The next complete advisory by the National Hurricane Center will be issued at 4a.m. CDT Monday.

Next, let's look at Earl. Earl was just barely getting his act together when we last spoke on Thursday. Earl has continued the maturation process this weekend while racing off to the West at the same time. Earl is now on the cusp of becoming the season's second major hurricane, and is bearing down on the Northern half of the Leeward Islands. Earl continues to strengthen, and the environment out ahead of Earl is one that continues to favor development. His strengthening trend could temporary be slowed by his interaction with the Leeward Islands, but since these landmasses are very small, it won't impede his development very much at all. Earl will bring hurricane conditions across islands such as Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, and St. Martin. It will move through the islands fairly quickly, and approach the Virgin Islands later in the day Monday. Earl continues to be steered around the Southern flank of an Atlantic anti-cyclone.

The trough that picked up Danielle may have an impact on Earl's future track. This upper level trough is currently forecast to shift Westward and weaken. This will also allow for the Atlantic ridge to build Westward simultaneously, thus Earl should continue moving around the Southern periphery of the aforementioned anti-cyclone. As the trough weakens and the ridge strengthens, Earl will begin to be nudged to the NW as he remains locked up in the circulation around the high. This should occur towards mid week or so. As Earl starts to slowly gain latitude, it appears that another late summer trough will evolve across the Eastern U.S. This is what the models suggest, and should this occur then Earl will be lifted to the N and then the NE paralleling the East Coast of the U.S. The current track keeps Earl just offshore of the Mid-Atlantic and New England States later this week, however, if the trough evolves slower then the threat of a landfalling hurricane somewhere along the Eastern Seaboard could be realized. Also, given the conducive environment out ahead of Earl once he moves away from the Leeward Islands, major hurricane status is likely to be obtained within a day or two. This idea is currently reflected in the official forecast. Earl could still be a major hurricane as he approaches the East coast, but at this time a weakening trend is suggested for the latter half of the week (day 4 and 5). While a threat to the Eastern Seaboard can't be ruled out, there is virtually no chance for Earl to have an impact on the Gulf Coast states.

Hurricane Earl Advisory

1a.m. CDT Monday, August 30, 2010

...Earl Strengthening as He Impacts the Lesser Antilles and Virgin Islands...Should Become Season's Second Major Hurricane Monday...

Latitude: 18.1 N

Longitude: 61.8 W

This places the eye of Hurricane Earl about 35 miles N of Barbuda and about 85 miles East of St. Martin in the Lesser Antilles.

Maximum Sustained Winds: 100 mph w/ higher gusts. Earl is a category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Further strengthening is forecast Monday, and Earl should become a major hurricane within the next 24 hours. Hurricane force winds extend outward to 50 miles from the eye, while tropical storm force winds extend outward to 175 miles from the eye.

Movement: WNW or 285 degrees @ 15 mph. This general motion is expected to continue through Monday, before a gradual turn to the NW commences on Tuesday. On this track the eye of Earl will pass very near or over the Northern Leeward Islands early Monday, and near the British Virgin Islands late Monday.

Minimum Central Pressure: 28.61" or 969 mb.

Watches/Warnings...A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the following islands in the Lesser Antilles: Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy,  St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustasius, & the British Virgin Islands.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the U.S. Virgin Islands & Puerto Rico including the islands of Vieques & Culebra.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the U.S. Virgin Islands, & Puerto Rico including Vieques & Culebra.

Wind Impacts...Tropical Storm Conditions are overspreading portions of the Hurricane Warning area, and Hurricane Conditions are expected to spread into the region on Monday. The U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico can expect Tropical Storm Conditions Monday with the possibility of Hurricane Conditions Monday Night.

Storm Surge...Water levels will rise about 2-4' above ground level near the coast in areas of an onshore wind in the hurricane warning area, and 1-3' in the tropical storm warning area. The storm surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous battering waves.

Rainfall...3-5" of rain is expected over the Northern Leeward Islands with isolated amounts to near 8" possible. 4-6" of rain is expected over Puerto Rico with isolated amounts of 12" possible in the higher elevations. These rains may lead to life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

The next complete advisory will be issued at 4a.m. CDT Monday.

Finally, here's a look at the third in the series of waves that has emerged off of Africa in the previous days. The system dubbed Invest 97L continues to show signs of better organization despite the fact that convection has waned a bit tonight.  This system is located about 1,150 miles East of the Lesser Antilles. Upper level winds are conducive for further development, and it won't take much for this system to strengthen and become the next tropical cyclone (T.D. 8 or T.S. Fiona). It is forecast by all of the models to strengthen, and I believe this to be the case as well. We will likely have Fiona within a day or two. The tropical wave is moving Westward around 20 mph, and this motion should continue for the next couple of days.

Elsewhere, the Gulf and Caribbean are quiet at the moment, and no development is expected here through Tuesday. A series of tropical waves (storms over Africa) seem poised to emerge off the West Coast of Africa in the coming days. Given the environment over the tropical Atlantic, more tropical systems are expected in the weeks ahead.


...Marine Forecast...


Tonight...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Monday...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Monday Night...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Tuesday...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Tuesday Night...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 feet. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Wednesday...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Be sure to scroll down to see the 3 previous blogs on Hurricane Katrina.

Have a Great Monday & God Bless!
-DM-

Continuing to Remember Hurricane Katrina...

Sunday, August 29, 2010

The third and final entry to remember Katrina is posted below. This entry is as is from one year ago, with some edits at the end. The forecast discussion and regular blog entry will be forthcoming tonight. Please check back for that a little later on.

As we all know, Hurricane Katrina, was one of the worst natural disasters in our nation's history, and it was also one of the worst natural disasters in state history, and was the worst man-made disaster in history. This is a chronological history of Hurricane Katrina.

Hurricane Katrina formed on August 23, 2005 from a tropical wave that had actually originated off the coast of Africa on the 13th and was originally classified as T.D.10, but degeneration occurred as the system moves towards the Lesser Antilles. A new circulation developed as the system approached the Bahamas, and Tropical Depression 12 was born near the Bahamas on the 23rd. T.D. 12 was forecasted to steadily move Westward and strengthen into Tropical Storm Katrina as it approached South Florida and the Florida Keys.

Katrina was a very favorable environment for development once it got going over the Bahamas. A period of rapid intensification began during the early morning hours of August 24th, and was officially upgraded to Tropical Storm Katrina at 10 a.m. when it centered over the Central Bahamas. The initial motion of Katrina was off to the NW, but a building ridge of high pressure would force Katrina to make a left hand turn into a more W to eventually WSW direction still aiming it at South Florida. Steady-state intensification continued through the day on the 24th and 25th. Katrina became a category 1 hurricane shortly before its first landfall in South Florida. First U.S. landfall of Katrina was near the Miami-Dade and Broward Country, Florida line. Katrina began to develop an eye just as it moved onshore and remain well-defined as it moved through the Everglades. The eye of Katrina actually passed right over the National Hurricane Center. Katrina's center only spent about 6 hours over land in South Florida. As typical with a tropical system over land, Katrina weakened, but not as much as one might suspect after being over land. It only weakened to a 70 mph tropical storm. The center of Tropical Storm Katrina emerged over the warm Gulf of Mexico waters on the evening of the 25th. From this point on, Katrina would grow into an unprecedented storm.

The environment over the Gulf of Mexico was one that was primed for a strengthening system. Katrina didn't waste any time at all becoming a hurricane once again, and achieved category 1 status once again on the night of the 25th just as it was situated WNW of the Dry Tortugas. Katrina underwent 2 periods of rapid intensification while it was over the Gulf. Katrina intensified from a 75 mph-category 1 storm to a 110 mph-category 2 within a 24 hour period from the 25th to the 26th. I should note here, that at this time the official forecast track for Katrina was for landfall over the weekend in the Florida Panhandle near Pensacola or possibly as far West as Mobile, AL, however the strengthening Atlantic ridge continued to force Katrina to the WSW and models would soon latch on to this idea. The concern was growing for a direct hit from a major hurricane near the city of New Orleans. The intensification processes continued, and Katrina strengthened into a major hurricane at category 3 strength about 435 miles SE of the Mouth of the Mississippi River.

Katrina leveled off for a time at this point as it went through an eyewall replacement cycle. During this same time, the wind field and diameter of Katrina increased in size to nearly double what it had been. Katrina finally began to make a turn to the WNW as the ridge shifted slightly to the East over Florida. As Katrina began to make this turn, another period of rapid intensification would ensue. Amazingly, Katrina strengthened from an already dangerous category 3 with 115 mph to a potentially catastrophic category 5 hurricane with 165 mph winds in about 12 hours. On the night of August 27th, hurricane warnings were issued for a large portion of the Central and Northern Gulf coast from Morgan City, LA to the Florida/Alabama border. On Sunday morning, August 28, Katrina peaked in intensity reaching sustained winds of 175 mph. This occurred as Katrina was only about 170 miles SE of the Mouth of the Mississippi River. This was setting up to be the absolute worst case scenario for SE Louisiana and Southern Mississippi, including New Orleans.

It was then mentioned that Katrina could possibly make landfall on Monday the 29th as a category 5 hurricane, if it did this it would be only the 4th hurricane to make landfall as a category 5 in the U.S., and the first since Andrew in 1992. Fortunately, Katrina underwent a period of rapid weakening as it moved closer to the coast, and began a turn to the North around the periphery of the Eastern Gulf ridge. It would still come ashore as a major hurricane, and bring with it lots of devastation. The weakening period began as another eyewall replacement cycle occurred. The large eye that Katrina had at peak intensity contracted, and eroded on the Southern side, thus weakening it from the category 5 that it once was earlier in the day on Sunday the 28th. The weakening trend continued through landfall, and Katrina made landfall as a category 3 storm with 125 mph winds near Buras, LA around 6:10 a.m. on Monday, August 29. The eye of Katrina moved Northward over SE Louisiana, passing just East of New Orleans, and very near Slidell. Final landfall occurred near the LA/MS border with 120 mph winds. While, Katrina may have only made landfall as a category 3 officially, a category 5 storm surge occurred. This resulted in the highest storm surge ever recorded in the United States with an amazing 32' storm surge along the Mississippi Coast at Long Beach. The storm surge was highest along the entire Mississippi Coast with surge readings higher than 20' for the entire length of the coastline as this was the area just to the East of the eye. Lower SE Louisiana saw a surge of 12-15' causing major damage. Severe structural damage occurred across the entire area of SE Louisiana, Southern Mississippi, and Southern Alabama from the storm surge and the wind. The worst wind damage was over Mississippi and across the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain, and through the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Katrina caused widespread damage with tree and power line damage through a large portion of Mississippi. The eye of Katrina moved near Jackson, MS as a category 1 on Monday evening, and weakened to a tropical storm as it began a NE movement to the NW of Meridian.

There are many meteorological explanations as to why Katrina weakened so rapidly after reaching its peak intensity. It should be noted, that it is very rare for storms to maintain a category 5 intensity for a very long duration.

The National Hurricane Center cites that the weakening may have been

aided by entrainment of dry air that was observed to be eroding the deep convection over the western semicircle while Katrina approached the coast. Gradually increasing wind shear, slightly lower ocean temperatures, and (following the first Gulf landfall) interaction with land each could also have played a role. Without extensive investigation, however, it is not possible to assess the relative roles played by these various factors. The weakening of major hurricanes as they approach the northern Gulf coast has occurred on several occasions in the past when one or more of these factors have been in place. Indeed, an unpublished study by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reveals that, during the past 20 years, all 11 hurricanes having a central pressure less than 973 mb 12 hours before landfall in the northern Gulf of Mexico weakened during these last 12 hr. Much research is being conducted on this topic.

Now, I will touch on what happened in New Orleans. The disaster that unfolded in New Orleans really didn't happen until several hours after the worst of the storm had passed the city. During the storm, winds near 100 mph occurred inflicting structural damage, but not to the extent that everyone expected or what it could've been if the eye had passed just West of the city as opposed to just East. However, the storm surge piled up in Lake Pontchartrain and battered the Northshore from Mandeville to Slidell with readings of 12-16'. As the storm moved inland over Mississippi strong Northerly winds across the Northshore and New Orleans caused water levels to rise on the southern end of the lake. This led to breaches and breaks in the New Orleans levee system, and water began spilling into the city which is largely below sea level. The highest surge readings were on the East side from New Orleans East to St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parish. A surge of almost 20' occurred in these areas, and a surge of 12-16' occurred further West. Many of the breaches to the levees appear to have occurred during the morning of the 29th. Nearly 80% of the great city of New Orleans was flooded. Water was as deep as 20' in some locations, and this was all within a couple days of the storm. It took over a month (43 days) for all the water to be removed from the city. The removal of water was briefly delayed 3.5 weeks later during Hurricane Rita. The flooding in New Orleans made the city uninhabitable for weeks, and changed the way of life for thousands and left thousands homeless. Over 1,500 people perished in New Orleans as a result of the flooding. The suffering inflicted by Katrina is by far the worst created by any hurricane to strike the United States, likely in history.

In closing, I send out my prayers and thoughts to all of those directly and indirectly affected by this disaster. Many many people will never go back to the New Orleans area, and part of the area may never be the same again. I know it was a rough time physically and mentally for lots of people after seeing what happened in New Orleans and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. There is much to be learned from Katrina, and much much research is yet to be done on this most devastating storm. Much work has to be done within the city of New Orleans to prevent such a man-made disaster from occurring again. It is inevitable that a hurricane will strike the area again, but no one knows when. Hopefully, it will be many many years before it does. I have included the official post-storm reports from both the National Hurricane Center and the NWS Slidell office. God bless all those still recovering from the storm, and we pray for those who lost their lives during the storm. In remembrance of this terrible day in weather and American history, let us all stop a moment to reflect and pray. Join me in saying the Prayer for Hurricane Season. I will post it underneath the links below.

NWS Slidell Hurricane Katrina Post Storm Report

You Can Find the NHC Post Storm Report Here


Prayer for Hurricane Season

O God, Master of this passing world hear the humble voices of your children. The Sea of Galilee obeyed Your order and returned to its former quietide. You are still the Master of land and sea. We live in the shadow of a danger over which we have no control; the Gulf, like a provoked and angry giant, can awaken from its seeming lethargy, overstep its conventional boundaries, invade our land and spread chaos and disaster. During this hurricane season we turn to You, O loving Father. Spare us from past tragedies whose memories are still so vivid and whose wounds seem to refuse to heal with passing of time. O Virgin, Star of the Sea, Our Beloved Mother, we ask you to please with your Son in our behalf, so that spared from the calamities common to this area and animated with a true spirit of gratitude, we will walk in the footsteps of your Divine Son to reach the heavenly Jerusalem where a stormless eternity awaits us.

In the name of the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit...Amen!

God bless everyone affected by Katrina & all those who continue to recover. 8-29-05...We Will Never Forget!


-DM-

Remember Hurricane Katrina Part 2...

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Hurricane Katrina was bearing down on the SE LA coast on the evening of Sunday, August 28, 2005. It has weakened from the storm that it once was during the day, but was still a very dangerous storm, and was still going to be the storm of a lifetime. Here's the official advisory on Katrina, and its time of peak intensity, along with a satellite image of the monster storm over the Gulf South of New Orleans.

First, here is the 10a.m. Advisory on Hurricane Katrina from the National Hurricane Center on Sunday, August 28, 2005:

HURRICANE KATRINA ADVISORY 

NUMBER  23
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER 
MIAMI, FL 
10 AM CDT SUN AUG 28, 2005  

...POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC 
HURRICANE KATRINA
...EVEN STRONGER...
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 MEAN 
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 10 AM CDT...1500Z...THE CENTER 
OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS 
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 
26.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 88.1 WEST 
OR ABOUT 225 MILES  SSE 
OF THE MOUTH OF THE 
MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 

KATRINA IS MOVING 
TOWARD THE WNW 
NEAR 12 MPH ...AND A 
TURN TOWARD 
THE NW AND
 NNW IS EXPECTED 
OVER THE 
NEXT 24 HOURS.  

REPORTS FROM AN AIR 
FORCE HURRICANE 
HUNTER AIRCRAFT 
INDICATE THAT THE MAXIMUM 
SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE 
INCREASED TO 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 AIR FORCE 
HURRICANE HUNTER 
PLANE RECENTLY 
MEASURED A MINIMUM 
CENTRAL PRESSURE OF
 907 MB...26.78 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. 

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 10 AM CDT
POSITION...26.0 N... 88.1 W.
MOVEMENT TOWARD...
WEST-NORTHWEST
NEAR 12 MPH.  MAXIMUM 
SUSTAINED WINDS... 175 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 
907 MB.   

AN INTERMEDIATE 

ADVISORY WILL 

BE ISSUED BY THE
NATIONAL HURRICANE 

CENTER AT 1 PM CDT
FOLLOWED BY THE 

NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY
AT 4 PM CDT.   

FORECASTER PASCH

Here is the satellite imagery of Katrina near its peak intensity:

















More on Katrina is posted above and below this entry.

God bless all of those who lost their life in the nation's worst natural disaster. Also, bless all of those who continue to struggle with every day life since the storm. God, we pray for protection from all future storms.

-DM-