LILI REMAINS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE; DEADLY 10 TO 20 FOOT STORM SURGE APPROACHING THE GULF COAST;
NOAA Warns Final Preparations to Protect Life and Property Should Be Rushed to Completion Now; Follow Advice from Local Emergency Managers

(See NOAA's National Hurricane Center for the latest information on this storm. Complete advisories are posted at 11 a.m., 5 p.m., 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. All times are Eastern. Advisories are posted more frequently as the storm nears the USA mainland.)

October 2, 2002 — At 11 p.m. EDT, the center of Hurricane Lili was located near latitude 27.2 north, longitude 90.6 west or about 170 miles south-southeast of Marsh Island on the south central Louisiana coast. This position is also about 195 miles south of New Orleans, La. Lili is moving toward the north-northwest near 16 mph, and a gradual turn toward the north is expected during the next 24 hours. This motion would bring the center to the south central coast of Louisiana Thursday morning, according to the NOAA National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Hurricane Lili taken at 11:15 p.m. EDT on Oct. 2, 2002. Click here to see latest view. Please credit “NOAA.”)

Reports from Air Force Reserve and NOAA research hurricane hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds remain near 145 mph with higher gusts. While some fluctuations in strength are possible during the next 24 hours, Lili is still expected to make landfall as a major hurricane.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 50 miles from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 195 miles. Hurricane-force winds are expected to spread inland up to 150 miles near the track of the center of Lili. Tropical storm force winds have begun to spread onshore at the southeast coast of Louisiana. (Click NOAA image for larger view of Hurricane Lili taken from inside the eye wall Oct. 2, 2002, at 3:23 p.m. EDT from NOAA's P-3 Orion hurricane hunter aircraft. Click here for high resolution version of this image, which is a large file. Please credit "NOAA.")

The latest minimum central pressure reported by hurricane hunter aircraft is 942 mb, 27.82 inches. A potentially deadly storm surge of 10 to 20 feet above normal tide levels is likely near and to the east of where the center crosses the coast. The surge could spread as much as 25 miles inland across the low-lying portions of the hurricane warning area along the track.

Rainfall accumulations of 6 to 10 inches are possible along the track of Lili. These rains could cause dangerous flooding. Isolated tornadoes are possible over southern Louisiana and southern Mississippi. (Click NOAA image for larger view of Hurricane Lili taken from inside the eye wall Oct. 2, 2002, from NOAA's P-3 Orion hurricane hunter aircraft. Click here for high resolution version of this image, which is a large file. Please credit "NOAA.")

A hurricane warning remains in effect from east of High Island, Texas, to the mouth of the Mississippi River. A tropical storm warning remains in effect from Freeport to High
Island, Texas, and from east of the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Alabama/Florida border, including New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain.

Special Statements from NOAA Weather Forecast Offices to be Impacted by Lili.

Lake Charles, La., Local Statement

Houston/Galveston, Texas, Local Statement

New Orleans, La., Local Statement

For storm information specific to your area, please monitor products issued by NOAA National Weather Service local forecast offices.

LAST TIME A HURRICANE STRUCK THE U.S. MAINLAND

Bret, Padre Island, south Texas, Aug. 22, 1999. Sustained winds of 115 mph, Category 3.

Floyd, Cape Fear, N.C., Sept. 16, 1999. Sustained winds of 105 mph, Category 2.

Irene, south Florida, October 15, 1999. Sustained winds of 75 mph, Category 1.

During their lifetimes, Bret and Floyd were Category 4 storms but weakened before landfall.

Last U.S. land falling Category 5 storm: Andrew, Dade County, Florida, Aug. 24, 1992

Last U.S. land falling Category 4 storm: Hugo, Charleston, S.C., September 22, 1989

Last U.S. land falling Category 3 storm: Bret, Padre Island, south Texas, Aug. 22, 1999

Click NOAA tracking map for larger view.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA's National Hurricane Center — Get the latest advisories here

NOAA's Atlantic Hurricanes Database — 150 Years of Atlantic Hurricanes

El Niño Expected to Impact Atlantic Hurricane Season, NOAA Reports

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

NOAA's River Forecast Centers

NOAA's Flood Products

NOAA Rainfall Graphics
24-hour Observed Precipitation as of 8 a.m. today

Latest rainfall data as of 8 a.m. EDT today

NOAA Buoys

NOAA's Tides Online

NOAA Satellite Images — The latest satellite views

Colorized Satellite Images

NOAA 3-D Satellite Images

NOAA's Hurricanes Page

NOAA's Storm Watch — Get the latest severe weather information across the USA

Media Contact:
Frank Lepore, NOAA's National Hurricane Center, (305) 229-4404
(Photos courtesy of Sean McMillan, systems crew chief aboard NOAA-42 P-3 "hurricane hunter" aircraft.)

The responsibilities of Systems Crew Chief are to plan, coordinate, document, install and upgrade the aircraft scientific systems, as well as to network the onboard computers systems with those of other scientific organizations.

These computer systems are interconnected using a variety of network protocols. i.e. Ethernet, serial RS-232, RS-422, TCP/IP. Once the aircraft systems are installed and configured, he is responsible for their operation, maintenance and repair.