Katrina's maximum storm surge

[logybogy]

Have they determined what the maximum was? 29 feet?

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

31 feet I heard. But a few people in the area said it could be 40???

[mf_dolphin]

I would bet that some people confuse storm surge and the high water mark. Since I don't believe that waves on top of the surge count as actual surge. Either way it's going to be an impressive number.

[Agua]

I would bet that some people confuse storm surge and the high water mark. Since I don't believe that waves on top of the surge count as actual surge. Either way it's going to be an impressive number.

Yeah, I was going to comment on that as well, but I wasn't versed on the proper terminology. I have seen a fellow who survied in Waveland point to the top of 45 foot trees and say the water covered them, but that doesn't distinguish between how much of that is wind pushed wave on top of surge.

[vbhoutex]

Well, Ixolib had 4 feet of water in his house in Biloxi. His driveway is at 30.5' msl. Since his surge came from Biloxi Bay I would presume it wasn't waves that were going through his house. That equates to 34.5' msl. I have heard what I think are credible reports from individuals that take it as high as 37.5' msl. What the official will end up being is anyones guess.

[aumoore]

Well, Ixolib had 4 feet of water in his house in Biloxi. His driveway is at 30.5' msl. Since his surge came from Biloxi Bay I would presume it wasn't waves that were going through his house. That equates to 34.5' msl. I have heard what I think are credible reports from individuals that take it as high as 37.5' msl. What the official will end up being is anyones guess.

Yes there can be huge waves on inland waterways. For example the I-10 Bridge everyone saw from Hurricane Ivan was about 10 miles inland from the gulf with two land masses between. Pensacola beach is a barrier Island and Gulf breeze is a peninsula below the bridge.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?ci ... a&state=FL

I have heard that the storm surge in Pensacola bay was over 20 feet with wind driven waves as high as an extra 30 feet. The engineers said it would take at least 50ft of water to do the damage the bridge took.

I visited Diamondhead, MS which is on the north of Bay St Louis, MS and the homes there took over 17 foot of water. The interstate in that area was under water as well.

Unless you live over 5 miles from the coast or over 50 ft above sea level storm surge can get you.

[myred]

The surge was 32 feet. Please don't ask how I know, but let me assure you 32 feet will be the final number. Some areas saw 34. The average is 32. All waterways around the coast flooded 20 to 25 feet for about a mile in each direction. That did alot of damage too.

[wxman57]

Well, Ixolib had 4 feet of water in his house in Biloxi. His driveway is at 30.5' msl. Since his surge came from Biloxi Bay I would presume it wasn't waves that were going through his house. That equates to 34.5' msl. I have heard what I think are credible reports from individuals that take it as high as 37.5' msl. What the official will end up being is anyones guess.

Most of the estimates I've seen indicate a surge in Biloxi approaching 25 ft. Perhaps Ixolib's home is not as high as he thought.

My mother lives in Gautier (just west of Pascagoula and just east of Biloxi). Her home is 15 ft above msl and she got 2 feet of water in it. Her old house, about 5 feet above msl had 12 feet of water in it (4 ft deep on 2nd floor). So it looks like the surge in the Gautier/Pascagoula area was around 17 ft. That's higher than Camille produced.

Here's a graph of the tides/surge in the area. I'm not sure of the exact location of the gauge.

<img src="http://myweb.cableone.net/nolasue/biloxi.gif">

[vbhoutex]

That particular guage appears to be several miles north of Interstate 10. Ixolib lived right down the street from Keesler AFB. It it was 25 feet at that point on the river, I would not be surprised if Ixolib's report would verify.

This is a link to the location of the guage. http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?se ... s&zipcode=

[f5]

Well, Ixolib had 4 feet of water in his house in Biloxi. His driveway is at 30.5' msl. Since his surge came from Biloxi Bay I would presume it wasn't waves that were going through his house. That equates to 34.5' msl. I have heard what I think are credible reports from individuals that take it as high as 37.5' msl. What the official will end up being is anyones guess.

Most of the estimates I've seen indicate a surge in Biloxi approaching 25 ft. Perhaps Ixolib's home is not as high as he thought.

My mother lives in Gautier (just west of Pascagoula and just east of Biloxi). Her home is 15 ft above msl and she got 2 feet of water in it. Her old house, about 5 feet above msl had 12 feet of water in it (4 ft deep on 2nd floor). So it looks like the surge in the Gautier/Pascagoula area was around 17 ft. That's higher than Camille produced.

Here's a graph of the tides/surge in the area. I'm not sure of the exact location of the gauge.

<img src="http://myweb.cableone.net/nolasue/biloxi.gif">

Camille was stronger and closer to Pascagoula but Katrina beat Camille's surge

[vbhoutex]

Well, Ixolib had 4 feet of water in his house in Biloxi. His driveway is at 30.5' msl. Since his surge came from Biloxi Bay I would presume it wasn't waves that were going through his house. That equates to 34.5' msl. I have heard what I think are credible reports from individuals that take it as high as 37.5' msl. What the official will end up being is anyones guess.

Yes there can be huge waves on inland waterways. For example the I-10 Bridge everyone saw from Hurricane Ivan was about 10 miles inland from the gulf with two land masses between. Pensacola beach is a barrier Island and Gulf breeze is a peninsula below the bridge.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?ci ... a&state=FL

I have heard that the storm surge in Pensacola bay was over 20 feet with wind driven waves as high as an extra 30 feet. The engineers said it would take at least 50ft of water to do the damage the bridge took.

I visited Diamondhead, MS which is on the north of Bay St Louis, MS and the homes there took over 17 foot of water. The interstate in that area was under water as well.

Unless you live over 5 miles from the coast or over 50 ft above sea level storm surge can get you.

This is not meant to be a smart ass response. You can not tell me anything I do not already know about the Pensacola/Gulf Breeze area. I grew up in Gulf Breeze and was there when Camille hit. Of course inland waterways can and do have very large waves on them. During Camille the waves in the bay and the sound(between GB and P'cola were 8-10 feet min. on top of an 8' surge).

Ixolib, and he can correct me if I am wrong, lives a couple of blocks inland from the bay in Biloxi, very near to Keesler AFB. I don't think the wave action a few blocks inland from the bay is going to be on the order of 20'. He has not mentioned waves being involved, just a fast rising surge. Of course, as stated, he could be incorrect in his elevation assessment, but my impression is he has researched it and/or had it determined previously.

I will be most interested in what the final assessments are. I have seen some from Keesler that, if verified, are on the order of 32.5' msl. I have also heard from individuals in the Pascagoula area whom I believe know the elevation of their property(2 miles inland) who had 6" of water in their home from surge and say they are at 24'msl.

Any way one looks at it, the surge from Katrina was definitely worse than the surge from Camille, at least in MS, and I never thought I would see something to top that.

[Agua]

Any way one looks at it, the surge from Katrina was definitely worse than the surge from Camille, at least in MS, and I never thought I would see something to top that.

Someone mentioned to me yesterday that "Camile killed more people this time than she did last time".

[jpigott]

Any way one looks at it, the surge from Katrina was definitely worse than the surge from Camille, at least in MS, and I never thought I would see something to top that.

Someone mentioned to me yesterday that "Camile killed more people this time than she did last time".

boy, isn't that the truth. people along the coast had a false sense of security, with the attitude "well, if Camille didn't get me, surely Katrina won't"

[f5]

Katrina was HUGE for a CAT 5

[bfez1]

The water at my house in St Bernard Parish was to the roof for days. We saw satellite pics of our house.