Katrina now a tropical depression
11:26 a.m. ET 8/30/2005
Matthew Newman, Senior Meteorologist, The Weather Channel
Tropical Depression Katrina continues to weaken this morning with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, with stronger gusts. The center at 11 a.m. EDT was located about 25 miles south of Clarksville, Tenn. Gusty winds may continue to cause power outages across the Tennessee Valley this morning. In addition to the strong winds and heavy rainfall, isolated tornadoes are possible along and to the east of Katrina's path today. The threat for tornadoes will extend from the Carolinas to parts of the Northeast, including cities such as Charlotte, Raleigh, Richmond, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.
Hurricane Katrina made its final landfall Monday around 10 a.m. CDT along the Louisiana/Mississippi border with top winds of 125 mph. That landfall point is a little west of where Hurricane Camille made landfall in 1969. Hurricane Katrina made its first landfall of the day near Buras, La., at 6:10 a.m. CDT with top winds of 140 mph and its second landfall was around the border of Louisiana and Mississippi at 125 mph.
While not the worst case scenario for New Orleans, Katrina rocked the city Monday morning. Wind gusts to 86 mph were reported at the Lake Front Airport before they stopped sending observations. Estimates are that winds reached 100 mph. Significant structural damage and widespread flooding has been reported in New Orleans due to Katrina. The eyewall of the hurricane, where the strongest winds, largest surge and waves are, remained just east of the city. Areas east of New Orleans in Louisana and along the Mississippi coast were hit hardest. The Weather Channel's storm tracker Jim Cantore reported a storm surge of at least 27 feet in Gulfport, Miss., as the eye of Katrina approached.
The pressure dropped as low as 902 mb on Sunday afternoon but has since risen. The 902 mb pressure reading was the 4th lowest on record in the Atlantic Basin. Stu Ostro explains the significance of pressure: "We look at pressures as a good barometer (pun intended) for intensity. The difference in pressure from one location to another, known as the pressure gradient, is associated with wind speed. There are other factors involved, but basically, the greater the pressure gradient in hurricanes, typically the higher the wind speed."
Tropical Depression #13 dissipated on Monday morning east of the Lesser Antilles. The remnants should continue westward north of the islands over the next few days. This system will continue to be monitored for any development.
Another area of interest is a low pressure system that came off the African coast Sunday. This system has the potential to develop into a tropical depression over the next couple of days as it progresses westward.
pictures on CNN : http://www.cnn.com/interactive/weather/0508/gallery.katrina.damage/frameset.exclude.html
Storm Tracker : http://www.stormtracker.noaa.gov/stormtracker-katrina.htm
