Here’s a satellite image of Katrina as it entered the gulf. Notice the formation of the eye at 0.38. Look how big the storm got as it entered the Gulf. Could we see the same thing three years later? Amazing Image:
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SLXYRJnYm0 450 300]________________________________
Speaking of satellites, it has me thinking about [[GEOY]]. With everything going on today, I missed the Google ann GeoEye Inc. [[GEOY]] news. Gio has been all over this name (Click Here), I will be looking to add shares next week. Chart looks great:
Cajun, how far are you from the coast?
The impressive expansion of Katrina happened as it passed over a warm water eddy. Gustav should pass over or near a similiar one sometime Sunday or Monday. I would not be terribly suprised to see it get as strong as Katrina, as some of the models suggest, but I don’t think it will quite reach its size. That being said, since last night, the storm has already roughly doubled in size with TS winds extending out 140 miles (At is max, TS winds extended 230 miles for Katrina). The system is currently in the process of forming an eye similiar to the Katrina loop you showed and may be geering up to rapidly stengthen. I expect to wake up tomorrow morning and see at least a Cat 2. The lowest central pressure (974 mb) is already indicative of a Cat 2, and often wind speed lags pressure by a few hours. The latest NHC advisory takes it up to a 135 mph Cat 4, before weakening to a strong Cat 3 heading up to landfall (I think it might not be enough weakening, which I’ll talk about in a post tomorrow). I’m sure you’ve been getting this all day, but you really look to be at ground zero right now and I hope your preparations are going well.
Woody,
about 40 miles.
Be careful Cajun. I’m sure you’ve had your cane experiences, being an LA native.
Growing up 25 miles from the S.C. coast, I’ve lived through more Canes than I can remember, but the worst was surely HUGO.
Anyway, what I have learned is that it always seems to be the right thing to do to stay and brave it out, in order to look after all of your life’s belongings. In hindsight, I always think, fuck! Didn’t I learn my lesson? Why the hell am I still here, with this tree on my roof, our vehicles smashed, and no comforts of home?
Long story short, I no longer feel the need to stick around, but things are different with 3 kids. In VA we don’t get as many as we did in SC, and we aren’t close to the coast here, but if a Cat 3 or better was to roll through here, you can bet I’d be packed up and about 300 miles inland.
Be safe my friend.
Thanks Woody. All my preparations are done, it’s now a wait and see thing.
Gus reminds me of Lili in 2002: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Lili