au revoir New Orleans

[blatz]

Sticking it out here...spent the day helping some friends batten down their hatches. (My hatches are rented, so they need no battening)

We've been through a bunch of these warnings before, but when I was in the supermarket, everyone was so nonplussed it was eerie. It felt just like the pleasant scene in any movie right before the moment that the huge disaster strikes. People were stocking up on water, but their hearts were not into it. Seriously spooked me a little. Not enough, though, to sit in traffic for hours on end.

I have my water wings and camera ready and am hoping to have as much fun as possible without actually getting killed.

And wish the best to my fellow New Orleanians (and all Gulf Coasters, depending on where it hits, if it does), their families, pets, and houses. If things get desperate, I got plenty of canned tuna, enough for all of you.

[garyjacosta]

I live in Dallas now, but I grew up south of New Orleans and both my family and my in-laws still live in the area. I think the apathetic attitude can be explained by all the near misses in the past 2 decades. I can remember vacuating on several occasions as a child, only to have the hurricane change course at the last minute and head for wherever we had run off to!

I sure hope this one is a miss too. (Don't have room to put up the inlaws if their house gets demolished!) Stay safe guys.

[BreakEvenPlayer]

I know you've been through the warnings a lot, but this Katrina is a huge bitch. You should really consider leaving.

[BreakEvenPlayer]

This is going to be ugly.

[Benholio]

[ QUOTE ]
I know you've been through the warnings a lot, but this Katrina is a huge bitch. You should really consider leaving.

[/ QUOTE ]

Seriously. This thing just about fills the entire Gulf, and has strengthened from 115mph to 150mph winds at the core. (5 mph shy of category 5). I don't see how this thing could 'miss'.

[Lazymeatball]

Now a category 5

also, this isn't anything new, but is anyone else pissed that they now alternate between male and female names for hurricanes. You wouldn't name a boat Steven, and there shouldn't be any hurricanes named Harvey.

[newfant]

Global warming is coming home to roost with this puppy. Take a look at this monster:


http://www.wunderground.com/data/640...g1_ir_anim.gif

[newfant]

LOL. You guys are screwed. The mayor (who sounds like an idiot) said something about being able to commadeere vehicles and property that it needs or something. God damn. I think think that means they can take your stuff or something.

[sprmario]

I was here in Miami for Andrew and just now for Katrina as a little Cat 1.

I just saw that the winds are up to 175mph sustained and 210mph gusts. I really hope people evacuate out of its way, because at those speeds pretty much nothing is going to be standing, if you are hit head on. Even if you have shutters on your windows, the doors can't take that sort of pressure and once a door gives it will just force air in the house and jut rip the entire roof right off.

The suggestion for folks during andrew was to find an inner bathroom and lie in the bathtub with a mattress on top of you.

Good luck to anyone in its path.