Here comes Hurricane Gustav
 

Watch out, New Orleans. It looks a big one and it's headed straight for you.

For everyone else, you might see a spike in the price of gas in the next couple of days - probably best to fill up today.

Gustav plows through Caymans - - MSNBC.com

Looks like it's going to roll along the coast and slap me silly at this point.

Time to batten down the hatches. Shit, no screw the hatches, I have several oak trees in my yard, and that sucks. I'm not worried about the 80-100 year old pines, they have tap roots.

Hope it misses you, luciferase. But it's going to hit somewhere on continental US shores, after it demolishes Cuba today. They say it is now a category 4 storm, maybe even cat 5.

They've done the needed work on the NO levees, right?

Having that thing nail the gulf coast during the GOP convention is nothing short of Shakespearean.

Pft, those levees are FULL PROOF, just like in the last hurricane. (;

Lucifer, stay safe and if they say evacuate, then you should evacuate. =P

theres no way to tell where these things will wind up making landfall, as i experienced in 2004 or so.

if you live in the golf coast, just keep your fingers crossed.

Hopefully everyone in the potential path knows by now: Heed the warnings!

Be safe all.

Two more coming on the heels of Gustav. Ay caramba.

Gustva had us all worked up for a day. Then it took a more northwest track. Good for us, bad for the more western gulf states.

Then it was Hanna, which again appears to be going north. It doesn't seem to be the same magnitude as Gustva, but if I were in Florida or any of the southern Atlantic states I'd be watching it.

Now there appears to be two more systems building out in the Atlantic-

Atlantic Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook

What they're calling tropical wave #1 doesn't look too alarming but #2 could be interesting. Seems to me these storms that originate over near the Cape Verde Islands have time to really build into major systems.

I wonder if FEMA has learned anything from the last time?

I bet there won't be major looting this time around if they use the national guard like they should have. I'm fine with people taking food, water and shoes that they will need.

All my cousins are off the oil platforms and with their families headed north. Max and I were in TN with my folks this week, and apparently they're getting unexpected house guests tonight. My friend in Mobile asked for another care package of Goose Island beer to be sent, which is what he asked for after Katrina and Rita, so he's feeling fairly confident (they're on high ground, such as it is for Mobile).

And just so you know, insurance coverage for wind damage won't be available for anyone at any price in the Gulf from Texas to Florida in about 5 hours from this post. That's when Gustav will be "in the box".

Good luck everyone. There's no reason to stay out of the shelters on this one if you can't hit the road.

Well my daughter's in the Coast Guard stationed on the Florida panhandle. I just spoke with her and she and her crew are flying west to a staging area closer to the projected landfall. I guess they'll be making shuttle runs all night with supplies and gear.

Sounds like the Fed's are trying to make every effort to make sure there's no repeats of Katrina.

I'm in Texas, 35 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico; my fingers are crossed.

Phew, good luck man. I'm about 60-70 miles inland. Trying to decide if we want to bail to brenham with our folks or ride it out.

Stay dry, gents.

And there's no need to be a hero--get the hell out of there if that's what you need to do.

Can't wait! I'll be at the Houston Seaport the better part of next week, rain or shine, doing material damage/layout inspection :no:

Good luck to everyone within Gustav's path--take care of yourselves and your families.

Geez, this storm looks like it's going to be even worse than Katrina... I hope everyone in the storm's path gets out safely.

It'll sure be a curious intersection next week with the storm hitting and the Republican convention going on...

Hope everyone stays safe. And on a more cynical note: I wonder if they will rebuild New Orleans again.

I understand there is no "shelter of last resort" (i.e., the Superdome) in NO this time around. Seems strange ...

I'll bet they postpone the GOP convention due to this storm. They've already said they're considering their options. McCain said the other morning he thought it would be inappropriate to be having a party while there's a national tragedy taking place. If they do have it while the storms tearing up the coast I'd bet it'll be really toned down.

Wonder if people like Pastor Hagee will make a comment blaming the GOP for bringing God's wrath and the storm. I think he's the guy that blamed Katrina on the gays because they were going to have a parade the week it hit.

Billions have been spent to improve the levee system. Floodgates have been installed on area drainage canals to stop storm surge from entering the city, and levees have been raised and strengthened with concrete. However, the improved flood walls have not been tested because of two quiet hurricane seasons in this area since Katrina.

As for the Superdome not being opened (mentioned in highthief's post) my guess is that this will encourage people to evacuate NO as soon as possible and residents will not be able to view the Superdome as a last resort. I also heard that there are 700 buses on hand to evacuate people, so I hope they will be used.

They better use them, because the course has changed a little and it appears to be gunning for the big easy now.

Here's the storm surge projections as of a few hours ago:

http://icons-pe.wunderground.com/dat...0807_surge.gif

If any New Orleans TFP'ers are still there, get the fuck out. A 15' surge isn't anything to be brave about.

Stay safe everyone.

Hope all you southerners weather the storm safely.

As others have said, be safe, and let us know how you get on when you can.

New Orleans Weather Forecast and Conditions Louisiana

It looks like it hit land in the worst spot for New Orleans. Although the weather channel reports it as light rain. I wouldn't want to see what heavy rain is if that's the case.

Hopefully it doesn't flood and the new construction is able to withstand it.

I think the mandatory evacuations show that they might have learned a little, but it should have been instated sooner.
The news images showed the typical locked traffic yesterday.
I can't imagine the fear in a parent being stuck on an interstate knowing that the storm is coming and you might still be sitting there when it does.
A few years ago, when they evacuated Jacksonville, they waited too long to suggest getting heck out and hundreds of people spent the duration of the storm stuck on I-10 with no gas because the traffic was so locked up... even with the traffic all reversed towards Tallahassee.

If you're not out by now, you're not getting out. And good luck.

I saw some pictures, not sure it helped very much.