f a c e t h e w i n d - Hurricane Katrina, 2005

August 29, 2005: Hurricane Katrina, Gulfport MS - CHASE SUMMARY Click for a video clip from the parking garage in Gulfport during the storm Video Clip (4m30s, 10MB WMV) (Video temporarily hosted by Scott McPartland's PSPhoto.com)
	Here's a map of where we rode out the hurricane - the parking garage of the Hancock Bank building in downtown Gulfport. The satellite image shows the damage left behind (the Hancock Bank is circled in red). The satellite image was provided by: http://alt.ngs.noaa.gov/katrina/KATRINA0000.HTM
	The parking garage where we stayed. In addition to myself, there was: - Scott McPartland (NYC) - George Kourounis (Toronto) - Mark Robinson (Toronto) - A few Miami chasers - A local Fox News crew There was obviously no place to sleep, so we had to make use of what was (or wasn't) around!
	Daybreak greeted us with the beginning of hurricane force winds. These views were taken from the top of the parking garage looking generally northward. The red lettering on the Bank building began disintegrating fairly quickly.
	Here's our four vehicles huddled together for protection. You can see why... Outside in the alley, the storm surge flooded in, to a depth of about 3-4 feet in spots. It brought with it all sorts of choking debris. Cars that were inside the garage were no better off. Gravel from nearby buildings would rocket into the parking garage and break windows of cars like bullets. We had to reposition our vehicles several times as the winds shifted during the day. We suffered no damage to our vehicles.
	Near the end of the storm we began taking pictures of the debris that collected in the garage. Note the computer keyboard. This came from one of the many blown out windows in the Bank building. There was office furniture everywhere. The Gulfport water tower overlooks the devastation. Photo looking north.
	The train station next to the bank was heavily damaged.
	Another modern bank building sustained major damage about 1/2 mile SW of us. Looking south towards the Gulf, along 26th Ave.
	The west-facing side of the Hancock Bank building sustained multiple blown out windows. The storm surge entered through this courtyard and flooded the bottom floor of the parking garage where we were.
	Mark Robinson fighting to get a photo, amidst fierce 85mph winds on the backside of the storm (no precip). The south-facing side of the bank sustained most of the broken windows and fascade damage.
	Here are a few of the folks who rode out the storm in the bank building. Everyone was really nice and we were thankful to have such friendly people nearby. Here's a shot of the parking garage itself.
	Some shots of downtown Gulfport. US49 looking south. 26th Ave. looking south. Looking west. Looking southwest.
	A destroyed garage. Can you spot the wayward pelican? Storm surge was obviously a lot deeper here. This was about 1/4 mile SW of the bank building (in the background). Many older buildings had their brick fascades collapse. This is the west edge of the Copa Casino. Note the shipping container (from the port 1/4 mile to the SE) and the boat (from who knows where).
	The Copa Casino was lifted off its foundation and floated a few hundred feet northwest into its own parking lot. The area looked very similar to tornado damage. This building suffered an almost total collapse at 26th Ave. & 13th St. The Gulfport Chamber of Commerce had clear evidence of flying missile damage.
	A chair and desk washed out of the SouthTrust Bank on 26th Ave., right in front of the Hancock bank.
	Damage on US49 heading back north towards I-10.
	This was likely not storm surge flooding, as it was a few miles inland. One of many billboards that was destroyed.
	On I-10. This is why you shouldn't run over downed power lines at 60mph!!

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