Hurricanes thrive in water temperatures of 84 degrees and above right?

Question

So where do meteorologists get the IDEA that Gustav will somehow 'magically' weaken to a Cat 4 at landfall while swirling in water temperatures that are approaching 86 degrees before that time?

This hurricane is going is going to be a MONSTER. Unless somebody goes out there to dump a bunch of ice cubes in the middle of the Gulf--? There's no way Gustav is going to weaken.

He's going to hit Louisiana like a fast-moving photon torpedo with 200 mph winds!

I just hope to God that the hastily erected levee system holds out. Because from what I heard, New Orleans is just repeating the same fatal levee mistakes that cost them so much before Katrina made it to shore.

Answer 1

Good question. And here's the answer. Yes, the water in the Gulf of Mexico is extremely warm. However, there are a couple places where it is warmer than others. For example, just north and northwest of Cuba there are a couple of pockets of extremely deep, warm water. Can't recall the exact scientific name for them now, but the water in these deeper places was stated as 89 degrees yesterday. The storm is expected to strengthen as it passes thru the largest of these deep water troughs. As you get nearer the shores, the water temps drop, but only by a few degrees. The coastal waters are a bit cooler than the deep troughs, and forecasters expect the "cooler" water to weaken the hurricane a bit.

http://www.maineharbors.com/weather/seat...

Answer 2

New Orleans didnt repeat any levee mistakes, the government did