Some interesting notes on Barry from hurricane expert Philip Klotzbach of CSU.

*Barry is the FIRST hurricane of the 2019 season, almost 30 days earlier than the average first date of August 10th.

*It made landfall as a Category 1 near IntraCoastal City, LA.

*The first hurricane to land in Louisiana since Nate in 2017 and the first in the month of July since Cindy in 2005.

*It’s the 4th on record back to 1851 to make a LA landfall in July the others being Bob 79, Danny 97, and Cindy 05.

Fortunately rainfall amounts were much less than NOAA/NWS/WPC/NHC anticipated but flooding was widespread none-the-less with many evacuations and numerous roads closed in Louisiana and Mississippi along with a scattering of tornadoes.

It was quite unlike any prior Gulf storm, as radar indicted 20 inch plus rains held offshore even as the center of Barry was 50 miles inland!

Mid and upper level dry air and wind shear caused the asymmetrical shape of the rain field cutting down the anticipated rain amounts.

Despite the rain forecast being off on Barry it’s worth remembering how spot-on rain forecasts were well in advance of Harvey in 2017 (Houston record flooding) and for Florence record flooding in NC/SC just last year 2018. That’s two out of three nailed.

And the track and intensity forecasts for Barry were excellent.

In fairness, the National Weather Service DID update rain forecasts to much lower numbers as early as Saturday as the storm made landfall including just a couple inches for New Orleans.

Also of note is that Barry originated over land in the U.S. (rare thing) in Kansas and YET was accurately forecast to move into the Gulf and become a tropical system 8 days in advance!

Barry almost back to point of origin (10/11 day trip), from Dr. Philippe Papin:

Rainfall rates up to 3 inches per hour were observed. Rain totals have still amounted to trillions of gallons over a three state area.

Many homes were damaged by falling trees.

The pumps worked and the levees held in New Orleans which was spared the heaviest rain:

Flooding was still bad and widespread across multiple states:

It’s not over til it’s over, Depression Barry today:

Follow me on Twitter @MellishMeterWSB.

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