The usual warnings for a lower level storm were given prior to the hurricane arriving. The problem was that the storm increased dramatically hours before landfall and the warnings were not sufficient for what it was at landfall. The ability to evacuate for a strong intensity is usually non-sufficient for areas like New Orleans. To evacuate everyone from the Florida Keys, for example, is at least 2-3 days. The intensity increasing that rapidly does not allow for a 2-3 day warning.
Basically the warnings were in place but were insufficient for the eventual landfall. They are getting better every year but unfortunately the public is always under the impression that 'it won't be that bad' and 'it can't happen here'.
The warnings were given but they totally underestimated the strength of this hurricane and the terrible danger it posed.
Hurricane Katrina increased in strength tenfold in the 24 hours before it hit the coastline.
This was not possible to predict, and was caused by a very unusual phenomenon called warm water eddies, which basically fuelled the hurricane.
Katrina passed over not one but two of these huge warm water eddies, and as a result it went from a category 2-3 to a category 5+ hurricane in just a few hours.
Meteorolgists were in complete shock when they noticed what was happening, but by this time it was far too late to warn people.
All the weather reports around the USA said, "there's a hurricane coming! It's a big one. Get the F out!"
Enough to know you need to get out of New Orleans.
More than anybody with half a brain needed.
What warnings were given prior to hurricane Katrina?
