• Sailing is all about the Weather.

    Big into the exploration of Atlantic Hurricanes since Katrina came uninvited into his world, James (Jim) Gurley (JamesG161) has followed every Tropical Storm birthed in Atlantic, Gulf and Caribbean waters since. Being a boater, he knows that we often need more time to prepare than we get from the TV weather folk. Jim relies on the science of storm development to share early warning info with friends and fellow boaters.

    Early in 2018, Jim and John Shepard, (JSSailem) started to chat about the weather data available. John asked Jim to help forecast Pacific NW storms, and this morphed into discussions on weather forecasting.

    For John, sailing in the PNW is sometimes hit and miss. One day is ugly, then a string of beautiful days but no wind, followed by a series of blue-sky days and 12 knot breezes. Being ready for those great sailing days means you need to look to the Pacific Ocean and what is brewing. John has been into Pacific NW Weather since the 1970’s when his first PNW November storm hit bringing more than 40 days and 40 nights of continual rain.

    Together we want to share information, new APPs, safety, and thoughts about letting the weather help you. Identify some of the resources for sailors and help prepare you for your next sailboat outing.

    It is far better to go out on the water knowing what to expect in weather terms, than to be out on the water and see dark ominous clouds suddenly appear, unprepared.

Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,468
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
1756830300016.jpeg


Twenty years ago, a storm named Katrina made landfall, for the second time, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Our fellow crew member, my friend, and Hurricane tracker, Jim, was in the center of the devastation. Though he has experienced 29 storms/hurricanes, this one is always at the top of his list of Bad Hurricanes. James' calculations of the storm's strength identify the impact of a class 5 hurricane.

Here is a summary of what happened in August 2005 based on NOAA reports..

Hurricane Katrina began as a tropical depression over the southeastern Bahamas on August 23, 2005. Quickly intensifying into Tropical Storm Katrina, it moved northwest, gaining strength from warm Atlantic waters. By August 25, Katrina had developed into a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 80 mph, making its first landfall near Miami, Florida. Despite causing flooding and power outages, the storm weakened slightly as it crossed the Florida peninsula.

Upon entering the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Katrina rapidly intensified due to favorable conditions, including high sea surface temperatures and low wind shear. By August 27, it had become a Category 3 hurricane, and within 24 hours, it strengthened to a Category 5 with sustained winds reaching 175 mph. The storm's massive size, with hurricane-force winds extending 90 miles from its center, posed a significant threat to the Gulf Coast.

As Katrina approached land, fluctuations in intensity occurred. NOAA reported that the storm weakened slightly to an intense Category 3 hurricane. [This conflicts with Jim’s on-site observations.” I had 175 mph winds at my house and BP 828.”] with winds around 125 mph before making its final landfall on August 29, 2005, near the Louisiana-Mississippi border. Jim’s home is about 15 miles from the border. The storm brought catastrophic storm surges, particularly along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where surges reached 40 feet in some areas. Heavy rainfall, powerful winds, and widespread flooding followed, devastating cities like Waveland [ aka Jim's home port], Gulfport, and Biloxi.

Mandatory evacuations and widespread emergency preparations marked Katrina's approach and landfall. Despite these efforts, the storm caused extensive damage and loss of life, highlighting its unprecedented strength and the severe vulnerability of coastal communities in its path.

Katrina's eye split in 2, thus the idea of Cat 3 is false. I have videos to prove my rolled vinyl flooring bulged up when the main Eye passed between Slidell, LA, and Diamondhead, MS. My ears felt the low pressure, and being a scuba diver, I had to pop them back.

Jim's construction company spent 3 years helping to recover the Mississippi coast.

Super Dome 20 years ago.
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Jim and John.
 
Nov 6, 2006
10,116
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Burned in memories..
Did the best I could to secure Ms. Cloud in her slip in Mandeville, 25 miles north of New Orleans.. I fought my way back home through the snarled traffic evacuating New Orleans..A 45 minute trip took around 4 hours.. Carefully watching reports of the storm and the rising water on Lake Pontchartrain, I dreaded the call that I might get asking me to get the Hunter 34 out of a living room! Thankfully it did not come. The boat rose a smidge over 8 feet in the slip and came back down to where I'd left her. My port side lifeline fouled on top of the (normally 10 foot high ) midship piling and the lifeline failed as the boat came down .. There was a tree kinda leaning on the backstay.. We very cautiously moved the boat ; the tree did not follow.. No damage other than the broken lifelne.. There was a LOT of shredded leaves and other tree debris all over the deck and cockpit.. I was a lucky boy ..
At home in baton Rouge, I sat on the porch listening to the wind.. a tree fell on our power line and, poof, no more power.. an hour later, the linemen were there in the middle of the storm and restored power.. Again, I was very fortunate that day.
I knew from where the eye made landfall and the size of the water surge, that Bay St. Louis /Gulfport/Biloxi had been really hit hard..
I am in awe of the guys who gather the information that allows pretty good predictions of where the beasts are going... and the electric power crews that bring the pieces back together.
 

JamesG161

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Feb 14, 2014
7,831
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
sav-a-center.jpg


My close friend used his power boat to rescue people. [his daughter was born 3 days later and her Middle name is Katrina!]. He is bent over in his boat.

Cat 5 winds speeds hit the Save-A-Center roof at corner. That shows the CCWise spin of Katrina. That was the reason water surge was HUGE in Waveland versus 28 feet in Gulfport MS shown above.

Jim...

PS: That shopping center faces South along Highway 90.
.
 

JamesG161

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Feb 14, 2014
7,831
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
This is my last post about Waveland MS. and Katrina

WavelandDestored.png


Red arrows from Left to right.
1) Bank Vault
2) My office
3) City Hall
4) Now Ground Zero Museum

Jim...