Time to leave New Orleans

[Dead_Parrot]

Gustav is now a hurricane, according to wind data taken by the latest Hurricane Hunter flight. At 3:11 pm EDT, the Hurricane Hunters visually estimated surface winds of 90 mph, and the SFMR instrument also measured a patch of surface winds of hurricane force, 75-90 mph. Gustav's pressure has fallen 8 mb since it exited the western tip of Jamaica this morning, and now stands at 980 mb, its lowest pressure so far.

Visible satellite loops continue to show a well-organized and intensifying storm that is growing larger in size. Upper-level outflow is established in all quadrants and is growing. Low-level spiral bands are multiplying and intensifying, and the amount and intensity of Gustav's heavy thunderstorms are steadily increasing. A well-defined eye has appeared, and Gustav appears poised to enter a phase of rapid intensification. Radar from Pilon, Cuba shows the developing spiral bands of Gustav quite well. Dry air is not evident anywhere close to Gustav.

It's time to leave New Orleans
Today is the 3rd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's catastrophic hit on the Louisiana/Mississippi/Alabama coast. Unfortunately, I think that people living in New Orleans should mark the anniversary of Katrina by getting the heck out of the city. You live at the bottom of a bowl, much of it below sea level. While New Orleans must exist where it is, this is not natural. Nature wants to fill up this bowl with huge quantities of Gulf of Mexico sea water. There is a storm capable of doing that bearing down on you. If you live in New Orleans, I suggest you take a little Labor Day holiday--sooner, rather than later, to beat the rush--and get out of town. Gustav is going to come close to you, and there's no sense messing with a major hurricane capable of pushing a Category 3 storm surge to your doorstep. Don't test those Category 3 rated--but untested--levees. Conventional pre-Katrina wisdom suggested that the city needed 72 hours to evacuate. With the population about half of the pre-Katrina population, that lead time is about 60 hours. With Gustav likely to bring tropical storm force winds to the city by Monday afternoon, that means that tonight is a good time to start evacuating--Saturday morning at the latest. Voluntary evacuations have already begun, which is a good idea.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1049&tstamp=200808

[Bluebear]

1. When Jeff Masters says to leave New Orleans, LEAVE NEW ORLEANS.

[Lex]

2. yep

no kidding

[Mind_your_head]

3. Yep, time to go TEMPORARILY.......

Don't forgo your property rights! Come back and claim your property - destructed as it may be! Land is finite and it's better than gold!

M_Y_H

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. This is bad, and will FEMA respond? Not under these cronies

[Dead_Parrot]

5. At least, this time...

...hopefully no-one will be expecting them.
:(

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Been exercising my dialing fingers, I fear I will have to do call them again

And tell them how to go about getting all that international aide

god I hate these bastards

[Mind_your_head]

9. I don't understand your comment. eom

[Dead_Parrot]

14. A lot of people died waiting for FEMA's help 3 years ago

Hopefully they'll take the hint and get out under their power this time. FEMA may have got their shit together, of course, but I wouldn't want to bet my life on it.

[Mind_your_head]

15. Yes, they have the power to "make it so" if they want to.......

just like they have the power to save those 9-10 polar bears (who may be exhausted and dead by now), but they COULD HAVE saved them/us.

They did or they didn't?

And if *they did*, what do we owe them, if anything?

*Some things to think about*

[uppityperson]

18. why would we "owe" OUR tax paid gvt for doing its job?

We don't owe them anything. We pay them to do their job, they owe us.

[Kool Kitty]

8. Ah, but this is an election year.

Bush and McCain might deliver the bottled water themselves, this time.

[tedoll78]

6. But.. I don't want to.

I will, of course. My flight is out of here at 730AM on Sunday morning.

I'm on vacation this week to visit my Mom and Dad. Mom is a wreck; I HATE seeing her like this. A teary, nervous mess. She keeps repeating, "I don't want to go through this again. I don't want to go through this again."

Dad is wondering if the hotel in Baton Rouge where they have reservations is safe enough (location/structure-wise). Mom says they're fine; Dad says no.

I'm going to feel very guilty about abandoning them on Sunday. I would stay in a heartbeat, but I'm required at work for Sunday and Monday night. I haven't led-on about this guilt at all (trying to be a pillar of strength and all..), but it hurts very badly.

Just needed to vent..

[Mind_your_head]

11. Give your loved ones 110%.......don't make excuses - it's lame. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. HUGS

[EFerrari]

13. I think your dad may be right.

Be safe, all of you. :hug:

[Mind_your_head]

16. Forego (sp?) your vacation and get them outta there!, imho n/t

[Suich]

17. Baton Rouge should be fine.

My son's in St. Bernard and he's getting out tomorrow. Are you sure about your flight Sunday?

I can't even imagine what it's like for your folks, and all the other Katrina survivors.

:hug:

[Hekate]

10. Godspeed to all our friends in NOLA. Stay safe. nt

[depakid]

19. "You live at the bottom of a bowl, much of it below sea level."

People lived there throughout the 90's as Republicans time and again denied the funding- despite scientists' and engineers' warnings- to upgrade the levees.

And despite a near miss in 2004.

Depending on where you are, it's a good idea to make appropriate plans.

[Dead_Parrot]

20. Update: Gustav now a cat 2, heading for cat 3

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 110 MPH...175 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. GUSTAV IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
SCALE. RECENT SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT GUSTAV IS
STRENGTHENING QUICKLY AND IT COULD BECOME A CATEGORY THREE
HURRICANE AT ANY TIME BEFORE REACHING CUBA.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT2+shtml/251438.shtml?

Definitely time to leave.

[Pooka Fey]

21. Important post. Everyone in the Gulf states, be safe.

[HeeBGBz]

22. Gustav is now Cat 3 w/ 115 mph winds

Time to get it in gear before the rush.

[MountainLaurel]

23. Will be doing so shortly

As soon as my spouse gets out of bed and packs his things and the dog stuff. We're heading to Mississippi, out of the way of the storm.

[starroute]

24. I'm stunned to see Gustav up to Cat. 4 already

When this thread was started last night, it was Cat. 2 and expected to reach Cat. 3 in the Gulf.

When I checked at 11 am, it was Cat. 3 and expected to reach Cat. 4 after it crossed Cuba.

Three hours later, it had added another 20 mph -- and is now expected to be Cat. 5 even before it hits Cuba?

This is getting needles-under-the-fingernails painful. Even the GOP doesn't deserve this.