Hurricane Katrina - II

[whiteyfunn]

Oh, and I know this is off the subject...but it makes me laugh.

I got into an argument yesterday with someone from NOLA. They thought that the safe side of a hurricane was the east side (or the right side). And, we all know that is NOT right! I explained Ivan's path...blah blah blah it hit Gulf Shores... that's how Pensacola was destroyed...blah blah blah. She didn't get it.

I just hope everyone can get to safety in time.

 

[katie blue]

Seacrest area: At 8 am, with tide about 4 hours past high mark, intermittent waves were lapping the bottom 1-2 feet of the walkovers and beginning to eat at the new/scraped dunes. Debris beginning to collect on the berm. We're packing up and heading out. Much love and luck to all, catch you on the other side.

 

[wetwilly]

I saw the mayor of NOLA on the news last night (11pm et) and I could not believe that they were just under a voluntary evacuation. Then I was in disbelief this morning when they still had not gone to mandatory evac. My only guess is that they have some timelines and guidelines for escalation to mandatory. Also, they probably are trying not to cause a total panic. One big issue I heard about today was that there are many people in NOLA that do not have any personal transportation (car, truck). Not a good situation at all based on the size, strength, and expected rainfall associated with this storm.

Sounds like from SJs report of Kurt's field recon that SoWal beaches and dunes are going to get a big dose of mother nature even though this storm is much further west than Dennis. I just saw a report that said Katrina will affect 170 miles along the gulfcoast because of its size and strength. This beast came out of nowhere and the "little" Cat 1 that hit SOFLA is now expected to be worse than Camille in size and maybe strength.

Thoughts and prayers go out to all along the gulf coast especially NOLA. Unbelieveable.

 

[beachmouse]

Discussion on the storm2k.org boards is that it hasn't been mandatory yet because of legal reasons- the mayor has no actual authority to close down the hospitals and hotels. I guess the laws are different there.

 

[wetwilly]

Kurt has been out in the field, and just called with a live report from Grayton Beach and Gulf Trace. At Grayton, water is up to the boardwalk. We are still about 36 hours from Katrina making landfall. In Gulf Trace, water is up to the Gulf-front houses, and is about to cover the geotubes and the piles of broken concrete. [Those houses will not be there tomorrow afternoon in my(SJ's) opinion.] It is going to be rough.

SJ,

Thanks for the up to the minute info on SoWal and how the area is doing while Katrina churns up the gulf. Being remote watching TWC and looking at weather web sites does not give us the real story. Thanks to you, Kurt and all of the locals for the posts. I just saw a picture of the Pensacola pier and the wave action there is getting very rough.

Keep the reports coming (even if they are not positive) and please stay safe and keep out of harms way. This board will be our only direct lifeline to SoWal until we drive down this Friday for the Laborday weekend. We hope the dunes and beach are still there for us to enjoy but we (me, wife, and 3 boys) will look to volunteer and do cleanup duty if/where needed.

Thanks again.

 

[pgurney]

I just got word they are reporting 20' - 25' waves in the panhandle once this storm nears NOLA? Can this be?

Those models they just showed did not look good. Please all, stay safe!

Wave forecast:
http://facs.scripps.edu/surf/images/caanim.gif

 

[Travel2Much]

News has been reporting all morning that they are just waiting for the Mayor of NO to announce the mandatory evacuation....what is he waiting for?

That he just did is indicative that we who live in NOLA are all ******.

The reason why New Orleans doesn't do mandatory evacuations, from what I have heard, is that it is impossible to evacuate the city, really, even with contraflow. I think there is some legal reason following from that (responsibility for harm due to telling people to go who can't go? Dunno, never figured it out). Plus, there are no shelters. The Red Cross won't go anywhere South of I-12. The city-run "shelters" he just announced are pretty grim not to mention only marginally safer than your house.

Everyone who lives in NOLA knows Nagin's "voluntary evacuation" means "get out quickly if you can". That's what I did last night.

But, the reality is that there will be 100s of thousands of people left in the city, I would bet. New Orleans is very poor. Many can't just hop into their SUV.

 

[futurebeachbum]

Katrina's strength in perspective

From the Nat'l Hurricane Site -
<a href=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastint.shtml>Record Hurricanes </a>

Camille was second at 909 mB
Andrew was third at 922 mB

As you look at this, I just heard on the Weather Channel that Katrina is at 175 mph and 904 mB. Ouch!

And there is nothing to slow it down until it reaches land.

 

[sarawind]

The mayor of NO and the governor of LA. are amazing in their
idiocy. The President of the United States had to call that
sputtering woman that is govenor urging for mandatory evacuation
of NO. That said, I'm not able to find out what is predicted for
South Walton. I'm in Texas now and so worried about wave height,
surge and all that goes with it for our beautiful SoWal. God bless us
all on the Gulf Coast

 

[sarawind]

Station 42003 - E GULF 260 nm South of Panama City, FL., buoy quit reporting info after midnight. Waves were around 30 feet. Appears as if the storm has taken this bouy out. I have a sickening feeling that this monster strorm may
taken an eastern turn and that is not good news for us.