Hurricane Katrina's Waves Felt in California.

[Ptarmigan]

I have the wave data for Ivan, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma on my work PC. When you're talking about waves, we mostly refer to the "significant wave", which is the highest 1/3 of all waves. For Ivan, the significant wave height maxed out at 52-53 feet. We also estimate the "occasional" wave, which is about 1.5 times the significant wave (75-80 ft for Ivan). And there are the absolute peak waves. For Ivan, that peak was in the 90-100 ft range. I know of no measurements of waves larger than that from ivan. The only sensors capable of measuring Ivan's large waves were pressure sensors on the sea bed, as buoy 42040 broke free just before Ivan's waves reached their peak.

I think that Wilma's trapped fetch waves were in the 12-15 meter range (40-50 ft). I can check on that tomorrow.

I wouldn't be surprised if there are even higher waves that were not measured because the buoys were all broken free.

[Swimdude]

Wasn't Wilma the most powerful?

He said the most powerful hurricane to "form in the Gulf." Neither Gilbert nor Wilma formed in Gulf.

[Ptarmigan]

Wasn't Wilma the most powerful?

He said the most powerful hurricane to "form in the Gulf." Neither Gilbert nor Wilma formed in Gulf.

Both were strongest in the Caribbean. I believe in fact they were at their peak in the same general area. I've seen Gilbert and Wilma photos and they look almost the same.

Wilma's Peak
12 GMT 10/19/05 17.3N 82.8W 185 882 Category 5 Hurricane

Gilbert's Peak
0 GMT 09/14/88 19.7N 83.8W 185 888 Category 5 Hurricane

[tndefender]

Why was there not evidence of this happening elsewhere? I find this pretty suspect and coincedential, seeing that there are GRS all over the country, in closer proximity than CA.

Living in Memphis I have become familiar with the Center for Earthquake Research and Information at the University of Memphis. I thought they might have covered this and turns out they have. Very interesting:

http://www.ceri.memphis.edu/katrina/

[wxman57]

As I had promised, here is the wave data I saved from Ivan, Katrina, and Wilma. Sorry, no data for Rita.

Ivan's wave trace from Buoy 42040:



Katrina's trapped fetch wave predition. Note that the predicted waves are higher than was observed at buoy 42040 for Ivan. Note that the values in the two figures below are significant wave heights - the highest 1/3 of all waves. Maximum waves were aboug 1.5 to 1.7 times this height.



Finally, here's Wilma. Note that this graphic was prudiced using the NHC Forecast from 4-5 days prior to landfall. The track is incorrect, and the wind radii/speeds were likely incorrect. So the projected trapped fetch wave heights are suspect.

[gatorcane]

WxMan I don't think your track of Wilma in the NW Caribbean is accurate. I believe it moved alot farther west before turning NE and slamming into Florida.

Am I correct?

[wxman57]

WxMan I don't think your track of Wilma in the NW Caribbean is accurate. I believe it moved alot farther west before turning NE and slamming into Florida.

Am I correct?

That's correct, the graphic was using the NHC forecast at the time. That means the wave heights projected are probably wrong, as I don't think the NHC weakened Wilma as much as it did in that forecast.

[Aslkahuna]

Speaking of Wilma, should be noted that the 882 mb pressure in the storm is the 6th lowest measured pressure in any Tropical Cyclone Globally. There are seven storms with pressures lower than Wilma-Tip '79 with 870mb, June '75 876mb, Ida '58 877mb, Nora '73 877 mb Rita'78 878mb and Vanessa '84 879mb-all typhoons. On an historical note, the first recon flight lost in a WPAC typhoon was lost flying into STY Wilma in 1951.

Steve