Strongest NWS Wording I've Ever Seen

[Sam Sagnella]

I know the posting of direct NWS products is prohibited, but given the unprecidented language used in this statement, I feel it is something everyone should read.

NPWLIX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1011 AM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED...

.HURRICANE KATRINA...A MOST POWERFUL HURRICANE WITH UNPRECEDENTED
STRENGTH...RIVALING THE INTENSITY OF HURRICANE CAMILLE OF 1969.

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT
LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL
FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY
DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL.
PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD
FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE
BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME
WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A
FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH
AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY
VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE
ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE
WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN
AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING
INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY
THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW
CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE
KILLED.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR
HURRICANE FORCE...OR FREQUENT GUSTS AT OR ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE...ARE
CERTAIN WITHIN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.

ONCE TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ONSET...DO NOT VENTURE
OUTSIDE!


The reality of a metropolitan Category 5...

 

[Robert Dewey]

Good grief, that is unbelievable! Easily the strongest wording I have ever seen as well. I doubt we will see wording like for quite some time.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Does anyone konw the elevation of the Slidell/New Orleans NWSFO? I wonder if they are going to have to evac the office and hand off responsibilities to their backup. Speaking of which, what office is the backup for LIS?

 

[Aric Cylkowski]

I didn't think anyone had the stones to issue an advisory like this, ever. I must agree, the strongest wording I've ever seen in my entire life in a NWS statement.

EDIT: Oh, can we have the direct link to it on the New Orleans NWS page? Can't seem to find it.

 

[B Ozanne]

Is that for real? Do you have the link to that message?

 

[Jeff Snyder]

http://kamala.cod.edu/offs/KLIX/0508281550.wwus74.html

 

[Tim Vasquez]

Yeah, we can make an exception to the "full bulletin" policy as that's certainly a noteworthy warning. I, too, have not seen the NWS issue anything like that.

Tim

 

[B Ozanne]

I believe it, but why can't I find it on the NWS site (or a site with a .gov)?

 

[Robert Dewey]

http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/la/nonprecipwarning.html

It's a non-precip weather product (NPW).

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Originally posted by B Ozanne
I believe it, but why can't I find it on the NWS site (or a site with a .gov)?

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/productview.php?pi...ersion=0&max=51

That isn't a fixed link like the CoD one is, so it'll change as updates are made.

 

[B Ozanne]

K, I'm happy now.

 

[Kevin Scharfenberg]

The wild thing as I graduated at OU in 1999 with the guy who wrote that bulletin. He undoubtedly cleared it with the meteorologist in charge. Certainly looks likely wherever Katrina comes ashore.

 

[Joannie]

strong warnings

this message was just now repeated on fox news. i have been following their coverage all morning and the wording of this warning gave me the chills. no doubt, the nws finds that this storm is all it is cracked up to be or they would not have posted a message of this magnitude!

 

[Chris Geelhart]

Originally posted by Jeff Snyder
Does anyone konw the elevation of the Slidell/New Orleans NWSFO? I wonder if they are going to have to evac the office and hand off responsibilities to their backup. Speaking of which, what office is the backup for LIS?

Don't know the stats of the WFO elevation (also note the Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center is co-located with the WFO). I did look up in the NWS directives and saw LIX's two backup offices are Mobile and Lake Charles. I would presume the Southern Region HQ has made some additional plans since both MOB and LCH are in hurricane mode as well.

EDIT: Elevation at the WSR-88D is 24 feet. Not sure if the WFO elevation matches.

Chris G.

 

[Angie Norris]

That is the most incredibly chilling statement I have ever seen. I think it really brings it home that this isn't an ordinary system that we're dealing with. If people choose to ignore the option to evacuate with that being said, then society is better off without those members. Those who don't have the means to leave, I'm hoping the city administration is able to get them in to shelter.

Angie