Based on the latest analysis of the upper air and moisture and wind field ahead of dangerous Hurricane Katrina.. There appears to be dry air and more southwesterly shear across the area of approach for Katrina. This could weaken Katrina somewhat as even the satellite enhancement is beginning to show some raggedness to the north. This is the area where the dry air aloft is located and the upper southwesterly shearing winds are located analyzied on the didgiatamosphere program I have plotted here.

So several things that could weaken Katrina is dry air aloft to it's north and west of approaching katrina. Also the rapid change to a more baroclinical type air mass with polar westerlies already pushing rapidly as has been the last few days south and east from the Middle of the U.S.

Let's hope and pray that the hurricane coninues to weaken before landfall. The latest recon data shows the beginning signs of the weakening effects from what I described above. The enhanced colorized satellite picture shows the raggedness on the outer northern circulation of Katrina..this is some evidence of the more unfavorable environment.

I am crossing my fingers that Katrina weakens enough it would not be surprising that it weakens rapidly too and joggles east a bit bumping into the dry air to the north and west and stronger soutwesterlies now over the deep south.