Hurricane Gustav

My mom and other relatives there (my grandmother and aunts/uncles/cousins) are probably all waiting for the storm to clear Cuba and see if it's still taking a track for NOLA. If so, I expect they'll be evacuating post-haste. They all live on the West Bank (Marrero and Gretna) and were spared the worst of Katrina, but I doubt they'll bank on having that much luck again.

Good luck to them, my mom is in Gretna as well. The worst-case scenario for them has always been something coming ashore to the west so they get hit with that north-driven surge from the east side of the storm. Here's hoping if it's going to go west it goes farther west than Morgan City.

One of my aunts lives in Houma, and I KNOW she's getting out of there tomorrow and not even considering returning until after Labor Day when she knows how the storm turns out.

From the 5pm Nat. Hurricane Center discussion.

IN FACT...TAKING INTO
ACCOUNT THE UNCERTAINTIES IN TRACK...INTENSITY...AND SIZE
FORECASTS...THE CHANCES OF HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS WITHIN THE NEXT
FIVE DAYS ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AT EACH INDIVIDUAL LOCATION FROM
THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE COAST WESTWARD THROUGH THE ENTIRE COASTLINE
OF LOUISIANA.

I like this comment on http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/grap...

[color=red]Note:[/color] If a storm is expected to dissipate within 5 days, its track will be shorter

Maybe it's been there all along (but I hadn't seen it before)... or maybe they added that to counter all the wishful thinking out there.

I planned my vacation months ago around labor day, and I'll be in France when it hits, wherever it hits. Lucky me, I guess. Good luck and well wishes to those staying put.

I'm getting word that the New Orleans area and outlying parishes will start seeing evacuation orders tomorrow morning, with contraflow being activated tomorrow evening. Time to get out before the rest of the crowd.

Also, they moved the LSU game kickoff to 10 am tomorrow.

We've boarded up the windows here at work and most ppl have left. I also did some of tuesday's work today and am about to go get my home ready.

Where to, Bennard?

Gasoline is almost gone here, and we're still 2+ days away from landfall... wherever that may be...

Been following this very closely. All indications are this is heading further west, towards Lake Charles. I'm breathing a little easier, but you never really know for sure 100% with these things. I won't completely breath easy until it is no more.

Grumpicus wrote:

Where to, Bennard?

We got out last night, and are at my parents' house in St. Francisville. We took a sneaky route out of town, which was mostly successful.

DrunkenSleipnir wrote:

What the hell happened to my city? The storm isn't even past Cuba yet, and people are stealing gasoline in a panic to get out. The news pundits doing 24hr coverage - not that I blame them for that, but almost anything could happen at this point.

Mandatory evacs are starting tomorrow in the southern parishes, according to local NOLA news. I'm hanging out until I see if Jefferson goes mandatory. If so, we'll be heading to Baton Rogue with a quarter million other people. Not sure yet how I'm eventually getting back to New York - obviously, even best case my Tuesday flight is probably canceled :)

Baton Rouge? It looks like the Hurricane is going to hit harder there than New Orleans! (but at least BR is above sea level ;)) Game starts in 20 minutes...

TheWalt wrote:
DrunkenSleipnir wrote:

What the hell happened to my city? The storm isn't even past Cuba yet, and people are stealing gasoline in a panic to get out. The news pundits doing 24hr coverage - not that I blame them for that, but almost anything could happen at this point.

Mandatory evacs are starting tomorrow in the southern parishes, according to local NOLA news. I'm hanging out until I see if Jefferson goes mandatory. If so, we'll be heading to Baton Rogue with a quarter million other people. Not sure yet how I'm eventually getting back to New York - obviously, even best case my Tuesday flight is probably canceled :)

Baton Rouge? It looks like the Hurricane is going to hit harder there than New Orleans! (but at least BR is above sea level ;)) Game starts in 20 minutes...

We have family there, although I do agree that it's more in the path. I'm thinking right now we're just going to stick it out in Metairie, unless there is a sudden direction change.

Contraflow starts tonight at 6 p.m., so I'd plan any caravans accordingly. Also, the last flight out of New Orleans will be at 6 p.m. Sunday.

unntrlaffinity wrote:

Contraflow starts tonight at 6 p.m., so I'd plan any caravans accordingly. Also, the last flight out of New Orleans will be at 6 p.m. Sunday.

I thought they changed contraflow to 6 am Sunday morning?

Crap, I guess I'm behind the times. That's really going to screw with my getting to the airport.

I'm heading to Pensacola tonight. Got my hotel room booked so I should be okay. Sure hope this turns west somemore...

Given the current path, I'd say Metairie was better than BR. Now if you were south of the river levees (i.e. the West Bank), I'd suggest moving out.

The latest update shows Gustav strengthening to a Cat 5 hurricane once in the gulf, and making landfall as a Cat 4. The track is trending a little more to the east as well.

We thought my wife was going to be released from work before her shift today, but that didn't happen, so she's headed back to NO, and hopefully will be able to turn around and get back out of town once she's done with work tonight.

Stay safe, everyone. You're all in my thoughts and prayers.

I'm still hoping this fizzles out in the Gulf, and we'll all sit around with a pint and a dozen oysters and laugh. Knock on wood, right?

I'm still hoping this fizzles out in the Gulf, and we'll all sit around with a pint and a dozen oysters and laugh. Knock on wood, right?

hear, hear

Stay safe, all.

Well I'm hittin the road, and headed to H-town. The forecasts have been pretty consistent with the bullseye on central Louisiana, and no sense waiting for extreme traffic.

Most of my family from New Orleans moved to the north shore of the lake after Katrina, and since they now live on high ground they're staying put. My sister is in Baton Rouge, and though I think she'd be safer at my dad's place near Covington, she's hunkering down in BR with her housemates.

Sleipnir, say hi to your folks for me. I'd tell you to keep a light face on during the impending chaos, but I already know you will.

We are hitting the road in the early morning hours, heading for the Dallas area. I like my house, I hope it lives.

What the hell happened to my city? The storm isn't even past Cuba yet, and people are stealing gasoline in a panic to get out. The news pundits doing 24hr coverage - not that I blame them for that, but almost anything could happen at this point.

Mandatory evacs are starting tomorrow in the southern parishes, according to local NOLA news. I'm hanging out until I see if Jefferson goes mandatory. If so, we'll be heading to Baton Rouge with a quarter million other people. Not sure yet how I'm eventually getting back to New York - obviously, even best case my Tuesday flight is probably canceled

We'll be heading to Baton Rouge first thing in the morning. Going to try to sneak up the causeway and over 190/hammond highway if we can. Not that I think BR will be any better then Metairie, but we have family with a generator there. Best wishes everyone, and best of luck!

Good luck all, stay safe.

If you're heading to TX from BR or NOLA, be advised that the contra-flow that goes into effect at 4am will be in both SE and SW LA. That means that I-10 will be eastbound only between Lake Charles and Lafayette (where they'll send everyone north on I-49). If that's your route, I recommend jumping on US-190 from Baton Rouge to Beaumont.

living in the desert, i hardly pay a whole lot attention to hurricanes (except Katrina obviously). this summer has been odd though, constant rain clouds have been soaking the dry land. i assume they are coming from the gulf?