New Orleans definitely did NOT experience sustained, Cat-3 surface winds in Katrina. The city was on the weaker side of the storm, and nearly all of the Metro area was just outside (W) of the eyewall.
Either way, the evidence strongly suggests that the city did not experience sustained Cat-3 winds at the surface-- as disappointing as that must be to people who lived through that experience.
This having been said, winds were much stronger above the surface-- as is very common-- thus explaining some of the heavy wind damage to the upper storeys of some high-rises in the city.
Edited by HurricaneJosh (Tue Jan 03 2006 10:13 AM)