COLD GULF-BARRIER?COLD WATER BARRIER? HOW COLD?

[john186292]

81 degrees, now given by New Orleans met as the water temp for the Gulf..prob the bouy south of Mississippi, level with Belle Chasse.
Historically, at what cool temperature are , say 90%, of tropical storms prevented from coming at new orleans?
OR, is it just that cool water prevents the FORMATION of TS's atop such water? I realize this moment, that hurricanes can travel to Novascotia, so cool water must not stop hurricanes.
Yet mets sound an alarm here, when the "Gulf water heats up, look at that, 85 degrees now, so that favors tropical systems."
Just to what extent does cool water act against TS's? Can I celebrate the 81 degrees today?
John New Orleans

[wxman57]

Generally, tropical cyclones need water temperatures of around 80F to develop/intensify. But they can move over water much colder than that and not weaken TOO quickly. So don't feel too safe there with 81F water, particularly since you're looking at beachwater temperatures. SSTs are still in the mid 80s along the south LA coast:

http://128.160.23.54/products/K10/caribbeank10.gif

[john186292]

Thanks for the instruction. I am getting a free degree in met, day by day. Sure am glad you are on this board! So much is known by science, yet so few transmit that to the millions.
John new orleans.

[Anonymous]

Just take a look at the maximum potential hurricane intensity...

http://grads.iges.org/pix/atlpot.gif