1 Advisory Committee on Water Information Emergency Response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Scott Kiser Tropical Cyclone Program Manager NOAA/NWS January 19, 2006

2 Mission of NOAA’s National Weather Service To provide the best meteorologic and hydrologic forecasts, watches and warnings possible.

3 Satellite Loop of Katrina

4 Satellite Loop of Rita

5 Before Event Forecasts Watches Warnings Forecasts Watches Warnings

6 Forecast Advisory 15 Friday August PM CDT 115kt (135mph) Forecast for Advisory 15 Issued Forecast Track Katrina Track

7 Advisory 20 Thursday September AM CDT Forecast for Sat 9/24/05 04CDT (09Z) 42 Hr Fcst 29.55N 94.13W 105kt (120 mph) Moving 11kts (13mph) Forecast Track Rita Track Advisory 20 Issued

8 National Hurricane Center Atlantic Track Forecast Errors

9 Single Track Storm Surge Forecast Shows envelope of high water relative to mean sea level (of 1929) NHC track forecast

10 Before Event Hurricane Liaison Team Regional Operations Center Equipment and staffing checks Briefings to decision makers Hydrologists to inland NWS offices Staff to state emergency operations centers Hurricane Liaison Team Regional Operations Center Equipment and staffing checks Briefings to decision makers Hydrologists to inland NWS offices Staff to state emergency operations centers

11 During Event Maintain the mission Communicate and brief decision makers Invoke backup if needed Maintain the mission Communicate and brief decision makers Invoke backup if needed

12 NWS Facilities

13 Post Storm Establish communications Reroute data and radar information Incident meteorologists to support rescue and recovery operations Assessment of operations Establish communications Reroute data and radar information Incident meteorologists to support rescue and recovery operations Assessment of operations

14 What Does the Future Hold? Long term above average hurricane activity La Nina and El Nino Long term above average hurricane activity La Nina and El Nino

15 What Does the Future Hold? There are other sites especially vulnerable to disaster –Houston/Galveston –New Orleans (again) –Tampa Bay –Southwest Florida –Florida Keys –Southeast Florida –New York City/Long Island –New England There are other sites especially vulnerable to disaster –Houston/Galveston –New Orleans (again) –Tampa Bay –Southwest Florida –Florida Keys –Southeast Florida –New York City/Long Island –New England