New Zealand Local Weather Forum
Weather Discussion => International => Topic started by: JennyLeez on August 30, 2012, 11:58:46 AM
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After strengthening into a hurricane shortly after noon Tuesday, Isaac has been lashing the Gulf Coast with unrelenting thunderstorms, damaging winds and storm surge flooding.
Isaac was downgraded to a tropical storm at 2:00 p.m. CDT Wednesday. However, the large circulation around the storm will continue to cause storm surge, flooding rainfall and damaging winds through at least early Thursday morning.
Hurricane Isaac officially made landfall in far southeastern Louisiana in Plaquemines Parish with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph at 6:45 p.m. CDT Tuesday. Isaac then moved out into West Bay becoming stationary for much of Tuesday night. Isaac has made a second landfall near Port Fourchon with winds of 80 mph around 4:00 a.m. CDT Wednesday.
Currently, blinding, wind-driven rains are lashing southern and central Mississippi, southwestern Alabama and southern and eastern Louisiana. More than a foot of rain has fallen in a few communities, including 17.0 inches at Audubon Park in New Orleans, La.
Storm surge flooding has been occurring along the Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana coastlines since Tuesday afternoon with roads closed in multiple areas, including Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans.
Tornadoes have been reported in Gulfport and McHenry, Miss., and more tornadoes will be possible across southern and eastern Louisiana, Mississippi and southeastern Arkansas into Thursday. The main threat for tornadoes will lie the north and east of Isaac's center.
(http://nzpws.net/nzwn/reports/issac2.jpg)
View of the flooding in Plaquemines Parish
Twiiter/@MarnieTWC
(http://nzpws.net/nzwn/reports/issac3.jpg)
Damage in Buras, La.
Flickr/@ChrisCuevas78
(http://nzpws.net/nzwn/reports/issac1.jpg)
Rising storm waters prevented firefighters from responding to this fire in Bay St. Louis, Miss. so they used an airboat to make sure it didn't reach neighboring homes.
AP/Holbrook Mohr
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Distance Traveled
From forming into the ninth tropical depression of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, to churning over southern Louisiana Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, Isaac has traveled about 2,695 miles ( 4337.2 km)
High Wind Gusts Recorded
Louisiana
Belle Chasse Ferry Dock in Plaquemines Parish: 113 mph (181.9km)
Miss Canyon Oil Rig: 102 mph (164 km )
Boothville: 84 mph (135.2km)
New Orleans (NAS/Alvin Callendar Airport): 79 mph (127.1km)
Mississippi
Gulfport: 70 mph (112.7km)
Biloxi: 55 mph (88.5km)
Excessive Rainfall Amounts
Florida
Royal Palm Beach: 15.86 inches (402.8mm)
Boynton Beach: 13.74 inches (349mm)
Greenacres: 13.10 inches (332.7mm)
Wellington: 12.55 inches (318.8mm)
Louisiana
Audubon Park in New Orleans, La.: 17.0 inches (431.8mm)
New Orleans: 9.57 inches (243.1mm)
Boothville, La.: 7.40 inches (188mm)
Slidell, La.: 5.27 inches (133.8mm)
South Lafourche Airport: 4.89 inches
Mississippi
Gulfport: 8.36 inches (212mm)
Pascagoula: 5.63 inches (143.0mm)
Hattiesburg: 4.13 inches
Brookhaven: 2.90 inches
Storm Surge Heights
Louisiana
Shell Beach: Between 9 and 11 feet (2.7m and 3.4m)
Lake Pontchartrain at New Orleans: Around 6 feet (1.8m)
Grand Isle: Around 5 feet
Mississippi
Pascagoula: Around 4 feet (1.2m)
Alabama
Mobile Bay: Around 3-5 feet