Category 5 Katrina Heads for the Coast

10:50AM
Hurricane Katrina is now up to 175MPH Maximum Sustained winds.

If you are in the cone for Katrina YOU SHOULD NOT BE LOOKING AT THIS PAGE

10:30AM
Winds with Katrina are now estimated at 175mph with gusts well over 200mph. Mayor Nugin of New Orleans has issued the city's first ever mandatory full scale evacution. If you are along the coast in any of the hurricane warning areas, I'd recommend evacuation, follow the recommendations of local officials in regards to these. If you do not evacuate, you are seriously endangering your life -- there's no other way to put it right now.

SUNDAY - 8:30AM UPDATE
With central pressure now at 908MB and sustained winds of 160MPH, Katrina is now a powerful Category V Hurricane. As with any strong hurricane, fluctuations in intensity are likely over the next 24 hours as the storm moves northwest and north toward the Louisiana/Mississippi border area, but the bottom line is that Katrina is a dangerous hurricane that will cause extensive to catastrophic damage when she makes landfall along the north central Gulf coast.

Significant track changes are less likely as the window of time for those changes narrows - the best advise is to monitor the latest track forecasts from NHC. Tropical storm or hurricane force winds will cover a large area of the northern Gulf coast (probably all of it), and near the center of the storm hurricane force winds will extend well inland from the coast for at least 12 to 18 hours after landfall. The storm is expected to move due north and eventually north northeast after landfall. Residents in the Hurricane Warning area are urged to take immediate protective action.
ED

ORIGINAL POST
Katrina is now a category 4 hurricane with winds of 145mph. The official forecast now brings it in as a 150mph hurricane within the next 36-48hr; intensity fluctuations may result in the intensity being slightly higher or lower and there is the serious potential for this to make landfall as a category 5 hurricane, just the fourth such landfalling storm in recorded US history.

Note that many in the SE US can keep track of the situation by tuning in to AM 870 (WWL) out of New Orleans this evening. Those in the impact zone can use it to find out the latest information on the storm and evacuation routes as they head out of town, while those out of the area can use it to follow how the region is preparing for the storm.

Clark Evans has more in his blog, accessible below or in the "Met Blogs" section of the page.