Hurricane Gustav

[kathylc]

Hurricane Gustov (sp?) is heading this way. Where it may hit yet is still up in the air, but from what I hear and whats being reported its taking the same path and doing the same things another huricane did back in the late 70's which really did a lot of destruction, when it finally got to this area.

Sometimes I leave sometimes I stay, as it all depends on how and what is being said, by those I trust, not the news media types. In a way its exciting to ride one out, in another way its scary as hell. I hate dealing with crowded roadways and crowds all heading inland, but I guess that is better than dealing with a situation you cannot control and everyone is gone inland but a few fools.

Still kicking it around on what to do.......

My feelings are its going to come ashore here in the pan handle between Gulf Shores, Alabama and Destin, Florida, with Mobile or P'Cola being the bullseye. Probably as a CAT III

[Guest]

I'm living in New Orleans now. I have a flight to BKK on Saturday. Last time I left New Orleans for Thailand was Aug. 29, 2005 - a couple of days before Katrina hit. At that time I faintly regretted not being able to stay to "ride out" the soon-to-arrive hurricane. Watching from Thailand days later, I was thinking I might not have survived had I stayed. This morning my friends tell me they are leaving town Saturday and that I might have trouble even reaching the airport because of jammed traffic on Saturday morning. I will try to move my flight a day forward I guess. On the bright side, after Katrina, I ended up staying 7 months in the LOS.

[Snick]

Any chance of the storm hitting Crawford Texas ?

[kathylc]

Well Johnny, you better do like your friends suggested. I just checked the hurricane advisory site I use right after I made the above post and they updated it..Now its moved further west, and is zeroes in on the NOLA area for landfall, and still supposed to land at a CAT III. This is good in a way for us in the Florida Panhandle, but it puts us in the northeast quadrant of the storm which is generally the strongest portion of a hurricane, but at least it passes by a lot quicker than waiting for the eye to appear and then have to transition the tail end as well only in the oposite direction.

I have not been to NOLA since right before Katrina hit, and I have my doubts no matter what I have heard that NO will never be what it used to be no matter how much money they sink into it. I hope this time old Ray Nagin has a plan.......but one thing I believe you folks in that area can rely on is the Gov most likely has a plan, unlike the Gov before. As for Nagin, its been proven before the city can do without his input so they can do it again. Where i live I can see the Gulf, so to me with Gustov moving west, it is a great thing in deed.

[kathylc]

(Snick @ Aug. 29 2008,00:00) Any chance of the storm hitting Crawford Texas ?

Only in your dreams!

[Guest]

Yeah, Kathy, you're right. I read today that the levee rehab is nowhere near complete. A Cat 3 will really strain them.

[kathylc]

Yep all they are really doing is spending money and trying to regain their so called reputation. As for the US Army Corp of Engineers....well all they really are is a tighly knit band of donut swallowing coffe swilling fat asses who happened to be lucky enough to land a cushy government job that pays great money for no work. Were in civilian life it may reqwuire a teamof 3 to do a job, the USACE will have 23 to do that same job..........2 doing the actual work, and 18 others to follow up and check on the others to make sure, and then have not one but three to go for donuts and coffee just in case one runs into a traffic jam they still get their donuts and coffee in short order time. What a country club of governement employees. I just do not think all those dollars and fancey reports they are throwing at NO is going to stop any water intrusion once they get water logged.....paper just does not hold back water in the real world....but it does have a calming effect on the higher dredges of society like the senators and congtressmen and the pres himself. I bet FEMA is creamiomng their jeans now on what they should have done and what has been done and have they covered their asses "just in case" more so the later. I bet they are brain storming and conjuring some great excuses to keep on hand and at the ready if the need arisies

[PigDogg]

How far inland are you Kathy?  

I have some experience with hurricane modeling and the most severe wind damage occurs within a few miles of the coast.

New Orleans, being below sea level, had extensive flooding from Katrina, but very little wind damage since it's so far from the Gulf.

But better be safe than sorry, why not find a friend and head to motel 100 miles inland?    

NOAA Website

[kathylc]

My house is perhaps 800 yards at the most off the beach in the P'cola area of the Florida Pan Handle. But I uwld not move come hell or high water or winds. When Hurricane Ivan dropped in a few years back, we went inland to ride it out in Montgomery, Al., and it was pretty darn bad there too in as much as winds were concerned, but at least we did not get storm surge there, although there was local flooding from streams etc. My brothers place in Montgomery, Alabama had 22 huge oak trees blown over and countless pines had their tops knocked out or bowed over so bad they were almost horizontal to the ground. Storm surge as well as high winds is what did our house in that time, which then was located even closer to the beach but in a different area. Our place now is supposed to be able to handle most of these storms in regards ot winds and a given height of storm surge, but I still do not want to find out if I got what we paid for.

[Road Runner]

(kathylc @ Aug. 28 2008,18:33) As for the US Army Corp of Engineers....well all they really are is a tighly knit band of donut swallowing coffe swilling fat asses who happened to be lucky enough to land a cushy government job that pays great money for no work.

Hey don't put them down!

The produce some really good navigational charts.

They show all the railway lines, power lines, airports, post offices, factories, power stations and many other important buildings and landmarks.
They also show all the streets and some of them even show the street names.

Only problem is they're next to f#*k all use for driving ships!

Hope the storm keeps away from you Kathy.

RR.

[Monkey]

Kathy I am really concerned for you.

I can't imagine what I would do in that kind of situation, but I suggest you get out of there PDQ and come over here and stay with me for a while, well out of it's way.

I've plenty of blankets and all the water you can drink.




p.s. you're more than welcome to bring a friend with you  

[PigDogg]

Looks like a Cat 4 with landfall in Western Louisiana so unless there's a last minute shift looks like you'll be OK Kathy!    

[PigDogg]

Looks like it has shifted east a bit. I'd get the hell out of there tonight Kathy as landfall should be Monday morning.

[katoeylover]

Republicans have suspended their conference for tomorrow.

looks like New Orleans is going to get hit again... this time by a category 4. (katrina was a 3)

Kathy - time to leave, please...

[kathylc]

Just got back from our favorite hang out after devouring some great cheeseburgers and cold beers, at a little out of the tourist view eatery on Escambia Bay. While there lots of the locals were talking about what we probbaly will be getting in regards to Gus. ONe noted that during Huricane Ivan, Dennis and Katrina, that the normal water level on the piers pileings started to go up higher than usual hours prior to any amount of winds picked up. They said the low tide was close and that water should already be getting lower on the piles, but they are actually up by over 6 inches even at this early of stage in the storm. No one around here is worried as long as Gus continues doing what its doing and every hour makes it that much more unlikely its oging to change and head eastward, or at least east enough to really make much of an effect on P'Cola. We are however supposed to get storm surge in the 3 to 4 foot range and tropical storm winds if all statys as it is predicted now. To be honest the weather outside is fantastic. A decent breeze, hot temps have given way to a lot cooler temps, and nice wave and sfter wave on the beach. Probably take anothe walk on the beach later on this evening as usual. Keeping my fingers crossed and hope all goes well for those in Gus's path. From what the Army Corp of Engineers has been saying if Gus stays exactly like it is now, the levees will propbably or "should" be ok, but any deviation and more than likely there will be some scouring in variouis levees. Scouring is the tech term for breeching and leaks that lead to big problem like during Katrina. Think about it. What are the odds Gus is going to stay on course and act exactly like they are saying since it is still forecast to get stronger and its still over 400 miles from landfall.........They said they estimate there is less than 10K folks left in the NO area and the entire French Quarter is closed and boarded up this time around unlike how it was during Katrina when it was still one big party going on. Gov Jindal seems to have his shit all in one sock this time as compared to that lunatic they had a sGov before, and from the sounds of it, they are not even looking for any imput from Nagin. All those news casts and not one word out of him or one pic of him on TV.....Fuck Nagin, he had his chance before and blew it in his plush government paid for hotel room out of touch with the emergency center and other emergency workers while he and his friends partied on the top floor of the hotel, with a room full of ice and food..while his emergency crews served in the battle zone.