FLA Everglades vs. LA Waterways - Much Different Effect

[tropicstorm]

I think it is noteworthy that Katrina, as a minimal Cat 1 storm crossing southwest Florida over the Everglades seemed to be able to use these wetlands to continue to fuel itself until it reached the GOM - Katrina actually did not hardly weaken traversing the lower Peninsula. It just made me wonder why or how the abundant Louisiana Delta waterways - Breton and Chandeleur Sounds, Lake Pontchartran and the Mississippi River - did not seem to have the same effect on Katrina. Although Katrina was probably weakening from an ERC just before landfall, it seems that it's strength diminished very quickly as it moved inland. I would have guessed that these LA / Miss wetlands would have kept Katrina powered up for a longer period of time.

[NC George]

One difference I can think of right off the bat is Florida is a peninsula, and thus there was eventually water on the other side for Katrina to pull moisture and heat energy from, whereas in LA the north is land, and as she moved N her fuel supply was steadily shrinking.

[Courtnay Mccullers]

like you pointed out, the situations were totally different.


katrina was weakening due to an ERC (or dry air getting in, or wind shear) as it moved into louisiana. the land just made it fall apart that much faster.

katrina was intensifying... fairly rapidly... when it moved into south florida. that's why the land didn't disrupt it as much.