Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico
Explanation:
Where will
Hurricane Katrina go?
One of the stronger storm systems of modern times appears
headed for landfall somewhere in the southern
USA sometime today.
Katrina was designated yesterday a rare
Category 5 Hurricane,
the strongest designation for a storm on Earth, and one that indicates
sustained winds greater than 250 kilometers per hour.
Pictured above is a digitally processed image from the orbiting
GOES-12 weather satellite that shows the massive storm
system yesterday in the
Gulf of Mexico.
Starting as a slight pressure difference,
hurricanes grow into
large spiraling storm systems
of low pressure, complete with high winds and driving rain.
A
hurricane
is powered by evaporating ocean water, and so
typically gains strength over warm water and loses strength over land.
Much remains unknown about hurricanes and
cyclones, including how they are formed and the exact
path they will take.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
