New Orleans Hurricane Exactly 9 Years After Katrina?

August 19th, 2014 by Roy W. Spencer, Ph. D.

It’s still over a week away, but a tropical disturbance east of the Lesser Antilles is being forecast by the GFS model to grow into a hurricane, making landfall near New Orleans just 1 day before the 9th anniversary of Katrina’s landfall:

Nine day forecast of 850 mb circulation and temperature from the 12Z GFS model run on 19 August, 2014.

Nine day forecast of 850 mb circulation and temperature from the 12Z GFS model run on 19 August, 2014.

Needless to say, it IS hurricane season, so a Gulf of Mexico hurricane in late August (near the peak in the season) is not that unusual.

But note the 2014 season is supposed to be relatively inactive:

Of course, this far in advance, the hurricane (even if it forms) could make landfall anywhere along the Gulf coast. I just thought the timing and location, exactly 9 years after Katrina, was interesting.


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