Hurricane KATRINA

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HURRICANE KATRINA SPECIAL DISCUSSION NUMBER  13
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1130 AM EDT FRI AUG 26 2005
 
THIS SPECIAL ADVISORY DISCUSSION IS ONLY TO MODIFY THE INITIAL AND
FORECAST INTENSITIES. RECENT DROPSONDE DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE
RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT MEASURED A SURFACE WIND OF 83
KT IN THE SOUTHEAST EYEWALL. THE MINIMUM PRESSURE OF 971 MB ALSO
CORRESPONDS TO ABOUT 88 KT SURFACE WINDS. THEREFORE...THE INITIAL
INTENSITY HAS BEEN INCREASED TO 85 KT...OR 100 MPH.

GIVEN THE RAPID IMPROVEMENT IN THE INNER CORE STRUCTURE AND THE
SHARP PRESSURE DROP...RAPID INTENSIFICATION SEEMS LIKELY FOR THE
NEXT 12 HOURS OR SO. AFTERWARDS...STEADY INTENSIFICATION TO NEAR
CATEGORY FOUR STRENGTH BY 72 HOURS APPEARS TO BE IN ORDER GIVEN THE
VERY WARM GULF WATERS BENEATH THE HURRICANE AND THE VERTICAL SHEAR
FORECAST TO DECREASE TO LESS THAN 10 KT BY 48 HOURS.
 
FORECASTER STEWART
 
FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS
 
INITIAL      26/1530Z 25.1N  82.2W    85 KT
 12HR VT     27/0000Z 25.2N  83.1W    90 KT
 24HR VT     27/1200Z 25.5N  84.3W    95 KT
 36HR VT     28/0000Z 26.2N  85.2W   100 KT
 48HR VT     28/1200Z 27.1N  85.9W   105 KT
 72HR VT     29/1200Z 29.5N  86.3W   110 KT
 96HR VT     30/1200Z 34.5N  83.5W    35 KT...INLAND
120HR VT     31/1200Z 40.5N  77.0W    25 KT...DISSIPATING INLAND
 
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