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Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management Crisis and Emergency Management Newsletter Website |
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October
2005
Volume
9 - Number 1 |
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The Beginning of Hurricane
Katrina (August 23-26, 2005) On Monday, August 29 Hurricane Katrina released its
fury on the Gulf Coast. What follows is a summary of development of Katrina
from August 23 through 26.
According to NOAA “Hurricane Katrina developed initially as a tropical depression (depression number 12) in the southeastern Bahamas on August 23rd. It then strengthened into Tropical Storm Katrina August 24th and moved through the Bahamas. On August 25th, a few hours before landfall in south Florida, Katrina strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane. Landfall occurred between Hallandale Beach and North Miami Beach, Florida, with wind speeds of approximately 80 mph. As the storm moved southwest across the tip of the Florida peninsula, Katrina's winds decreased slightly and then regained hurricane strength in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Katrina obtained 'major hurricane' status on the afternoon of the 26th. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2005/katrina.html Tuesday, August 23: FEMA National Situation update indicates no tropical cyclone activity that threatens U.S. interests. http://www.fema.gov/emanagers/2005/nat082305.shtm Wednesday, August 24: A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Central and Northwester Bahamas. A tropical storm watch remains in effect for portions of the east coast of Florida and the Florida Keys. At 5am EDT the center of tropical depression twelve was located about 95 miles southeast of Nassau and about 270 miles east-southeast of the southeast coast of Florida. The depression is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 4 to 8 inches over the central and northwestern Bahamas with isolated maximum amounts of 10 inches possible. Storm surge flooding of 3 to 5 feet above normal tide levels along with large and dangerous battering waves can be expected near the center in areas of onshore winds in the Bahamas. http://www.fema.gov/emanagers/2005/nat082405.shtm Thursday, August 25: At 5 am EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Katrina was located 90 miles east of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center. Strengthening is forecasted during the next 24 hours and Katrina is expected to reach hurricane strength before the center reaches the coast of Florida Thursday night or Friday morning. Due to its slow forward speed, Katrina is expected to produce a significant heavy rainfall event over South Florida with total rainfall accumulations of 6 to 10 inches and isolated maximum amounts of 15 20 inches possible. A Hurricane Warning remains in effect for the southeast Florida coast from Vero Beach southward to Florida City, and a Tropical Storm Watch remains in effect for the east-central Florida coast and for the middle and the upper Florida Keys. http://www.fema.gov/emanagers/2005/nat082505.shtm Friday, August 26: The eye of Katrina came ashore at 6:30 p.m. EDT Thursday, August 25 near the Broward/Dade County line as a category one hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph. By 1 a.m., maximum sustained winds had decreased to 70 mph and Katrina again became a tropical storm. At 5 a.m. EDT, the eye of Hurricane Katrina was located just offshore of southwestern Florida over the Gulf of Mexico 50 miles north-northeast of Key West. Katrina is moving west near 5 mph. This motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours with a slight increase in forward speed. Now that Katrina has emerged over the Gulf of Mexico maximum sustained winds have again increased to 75 mph and Katrina is once again a category one hurricane. Katrina will regenerate on Friday over the Gulf of Mexico and head west northwest and then turn northward up into the northern Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane winds and flooding rain is a threat late Sunday into early next week in the northern Gulf and up into the Southeast. http://www.fema.gov/emanagers/2005/nat082605.shtm |