ALERT: NEW ORLEANS AND NORTH-WEST GULF REGION (HURRICANE GUSTAV)

[Aviation Pro]

At 0600 EDT (1000Z) the National Hurricane Center issued the following update on Hurricane Gustav:

000
WTNT62 KNHC 300953
TCUAT2
HURRICANE GUSTAV TROPICAL CYCLONE UPDATE
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL072008
600 AM EDT SAT AUG 30 2008


DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT
GUSTAV CONTINUES TO RAPIDLY STRENGTHEN AND NOW HAS MAXIMUM WINDS
NEAR 115 MPH...185 KM/HR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THIS MAKES GUSTAV A
DANGEROUS CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE
SCALE...THE SECOND MAJOR HURRICANE OF THE 2008 ATLANTIC HURRICANE
SEASON.

$$
FORECASTER BLAKE/AVILA

Final preparations should be made for the eventual landfall of Gustav as a major hurricane. More strengthening is expected once Gustav clears the Western end of Cuba and moves through the loop current in the Gulf of Mexico. The expected direction that the storm will take after landfall is west-northwest and evacuation routes should be planned for movement to the north and east. After landfall, the most dangerous elements will be the expected rainfall, tornadoes and flooding. Remember that evacuation routes may be impassable for a number of days after Gustav strikes.

Here is the latest satellite imagery: