Hurricane Katrina Discussion Thread

This thread is for discussion of Hurricane Katrina and related information.

Comments

[DeeDee]

Hello all, I have a daughter, and three beautiful granddaughters in Gonzales, La, with son in law, too. Although I live in the northeast we have family there, my parents went to brothers house in Rayville, lots of family in Alexandria but my biggest worry is grandchildren in Gonzales, which is about 45 min ride up I-10.

I have been heart sick all day watching the news and worrying for this long dreaded "worst case" senerio for New Orleans. LSU has predicted this and Tulane as well. The levees are a big worry for me. I was born in Baton Rouge and lived most of my life there and in Gonzales, the Jambalaya capital of the world! This storm is as big as the state. I feel so helpless here.

Please pray God dissapate this storm and that the levees hold. I can hardly comprehend this happening. Thank you.

[nc_mom]

I have my checkbook ready.

Posted by: DennisAOK | Aug 28, 2005 9:51:02 PM

Me too. Those folks are going to need our help and our prayers.

[Isabell]

Kathleen,

make sure you do not go outside, not even for a second!!

[Anna]

Mobile is supposed to have twenty ft waves downtown. I just cannot imagine what that means. Everything seems so calm now. I am far enough inland nothing much should happen here unless we have tornandoes. Will ran lots but we are used to that with sustained winds.

Bad storm surge expected for Mobile. Evacuated but not sure if it is mandatory. Have offered shelter to all friends and relatives but do not know who will make it this far north. Also pasture for up to ten horses temporarily. Do have some folks bringing horses to arrive during the night but they will stay at motel. The people, not the horses. If there are rooms. I called but they will not make reservation so we shall see if they can find rooms. Do not really know them, just have room for the horses.

[DeeDee]

Also, I was told that Exxon in La will raise prices 52 cents per gallon at midnight.

[TexasGal]

Please pray God dissapate this storm and that the levees hold. I can hardly comprehend this happening. Thank you.

Posted by: DeeDee
Consider it done.

[TexasGal]

Kathleen,

make sure you do not go outside, not even for a second!!

Posted by: Isabell
Yes. Lots of folks make that mistake when the eye passes. Just not worth the risk because those winds come back mighty fast and furious.

[DennisAOK]

Be safe, Anna.

[DennisAOK]

TexasGal,

And please find Natalee Holloway.

[TexasGal]

TexasGal,

And please find Natalee Holloway.

Posted by: DennisAOK
Sure wish I could Dennis, sure wish I could.

[Dan]

From the radar looks like the outer piece of the wall is just coming up on the penninsula.

[Steve Huff]

Good linkage here, Dan -- thanks for the comprehensive approach. Can't raise my folks now, so I'm thinking cell towers are already down in the Gulf Shores area. Those of you who pray, pray hard.

[Dan]

They're projecting the eye to make landfall around sunrise - Miss. could see 25 - 30 ft. storm surge. Tropical storm force winds now stetched out close to 200 miles from center. Top speed dropped by 170's to 165. Last I heard moing about 13 mph.

[zeus]

I recieved this in a email recently:

The next time Mars may come this close is
in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on
Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be
certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth
in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as
60,000 years before it happens again.

The encounter will culminate on August 27th when
Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and
will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in
the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9
and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest
75-power magnification. Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.
Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east
at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.

By the end of August when the two planets are
closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its
highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty
convenient to see something that no human being has
seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at
the beginning of August to see Mars grow
progressively brighter and brighter throughout the
month.

Is there a full moon out there tonight? It's too cloudy where I am.
Is this just one of the underlying reasons why Katrina is packing such a powerful punch?

[cat]

DeeDee
Glad to see you on here, reading and posting. It keeps your mind occupied - some. Things here are calm. I'm sure B & family will be safe, probably scared, but safe >praying< . We'll get down there as soon as we can.
Love,
Cathy

[DeeDee]

Daughter in Gonzales said I-10 traffic thru Ascension parish heading nw toward Baton Rouge was at a snails pace.

[DeeDee]

Hey Cat...thought that was you, all that boudin!! Love and miss you all, praying for your safety also. Thanks, DD

[Bigfish]

Hurricane hunter plane report on max sustained wind and barometric pressure due in at top of the hour. Conflicting reports as to weakening or strengthening. IMO, eye still well defined and constricted indicative of being still well organized and on course. Major rain bands and thunderstorms extending many miles east and northeast of the center.

Bigfish

[Hoopsterfriend]

is anyone in here in gulfport, MS?

[Isabell]

http://hurricane.csc.noaa.gov/hurricanes/viewer.html

This is a great site. You can see the track of any hurricane on record.

[Cat]

Hey Dee. No Boudin tonight tho, Red Beans and Rice. Sitting here with M and trying to explain a "blog" to her. It's not working very well! lol M just talked to B, everything is ok, for the time being.

[cat]

Dee,
M was trying to explain the "blah blah blah" (blog) to Big J. lol

Thought that would give you a giggle.
C

[Bigfish]

Hurricane hunter reporting 160mph cat5 907mb incredibly dangerous storm. Another Camille only bigger. Please heed any evacuation orders.

Bigfish

[clintcarter]

DennisAOK, according to the Biggest Little Political Test (I think that's what is was called, on one of the sites in the right column) I am on the centrist/libertarian border.

[Memphisbelle]

Just found out some of my friends did not evacuate Orange Beach - having a party on the deck of their 2 story wood frame condo on Ole River. Please keep them in your prayers.

[DeeDee]

Cat: Thanks, thats funny. I just listened to the report from the plane on Geraldo. He said pray the eye wall does a reorganization at landfall. I will certainly do that. I still horrific pictures in my head from the flooding in Ascension parish that caused the coffins to float away and the crypts to be displaced. That will be awful for all the lower portion of the state. I don't know how long B will have a cell tower? Will that Amtrak rail even be there in Slidell next week? So many questions going thru my head. I hope it picks up speed and moves thru quickly ...11th storm at 13mph....Katrina go away! Brandon even having feeder bands at Pensacola........they needed a break there! Yall stay safe and oh yeah, I brought me some Community Coffee back with me last trip up so at least it smells like home in the mornings.

[clintcarter]

And Isabell I meant all of those comments in a supportive way.
I followed the tsunami aftermath a great deal.
There is a large chance of damage equal to a lot of the worst of that, if not the same scale.
If you think I'm being mean you could not have seen much of what I did downloading video clips from all over.
My comments are from my fears. And the rifle might be necessary for animals as much as anything.
Dogs will roam by daybreak.

[janie]

Very concerned for all who did not evacuate. They are in for hell. Definitely praying for them all.

[DeeDee]

ClintCarter: You are so right about the "critters" and snakes in particular! Especially in Louisiana , alligators and snakes!

[Kathleen]

The prayers and good thoughts are very much appreciated. For those that don't know, the eyewall and the storm surge(25 to 30 foot wall of water)is what is going to cause the most devastation along the La/Miss coast. I am 60 miles inland, no threat of flooding in my area. If there were, I wouldn't have stayed. My house is structurally sound, but as an added extra precaution we will remain under a "matress tent" in the back room for the duration, which is what we did during Andrew. If we must make a run for it, the parish jail is very close...I will not hesitate to go there. Just announced that tropical storm force winds are now in New Orleans..I must go double check to make sure we are ready.

DeeDee--in the same parish as your daughter. Will keep your family in my thoughts and prayers.

[CRP]

My father works off the coast of Loisiana on the oil platforms.... He thinks they''l return to clean-up this rigs or look for what is left.. Forget about gasoline, worry for the people in the surrounding areas.

[clintcarter]

MemphisBelle I don't want to be mean twice in one night but prayers should be rationed to those who are cooperating in saving themselves.
Debris will be flying like in a huge tornado.

'Tornadic activity'. Never heard that expression before.

[DeeDee]

Kathleen: Oh my goodness, I will be praying for you also! God may have a last minute repreave and let this storm have a sudden decrease at landfall. I can remember the storms we rode out. I remember several, now Cat3 or above, I recommend leave. The fear is hours and hours. The mattress tent is very wise. I just told my daughter to have one ready over the bathtub! Godspeed and safety.

[Just Somebody's Grandma]

It must be going to get really bad down there. My older brother and his family have lived in Slidell since 1977. He has never left during a hurricane, he would send his wife and children towards Rapides Parish to our parent's home to stay, but he would always stay. He left this time, first time ever! He usually is the one on the block that rides out the storms, but he said this is one storm he didn't want to see.

[clintcarter]

Just heard that people in Pittsburg(!) should be battening down the hatches.

[Bigfish]

IMO. some areas of Louisiana south of New Oleans have already recieved in excess of 4 inches of rain and heavy bands of training thunderstorms look as though they are moving into the NO area now.

Bigfish

[TexasGal]

Just watched a show on the National Geographic Channel. They were talking about IVAN and what would be the worse disaster hurricanewise in the US. A Category 5 hitting New Orleans!

[Bigfish]

Granny Toad-This is no joke but I have heard that Katrina could turn New Orleans into a toxic "cesspool" for six months. Lets hope and pray for some devine intervention. I worry about the people but I also worry about the pets that were left behind.

BF

[Isabell]

it is sad that so many people have to leave their pets behind.

[007Scarlett]

Well, this should alleviate any widespread panic...NOT!!!!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/08/28/katrina.doomsday/index.html

[TexasGal]

it is sad that so many people have to leave their pets behind.

Posted by: Isabell
Animals are smart though. As long as they are loose, I would think they would have a very good chance of survival. I would be distraught if I had to leave mine behind though.

[007Scarlett]

If Orange Beach/Gulf Shores had to withstand the full impact of Katrina, it might not be uninhabitable for another 10 years. I love that place. I want to retire there (in many, many years) and have my ashes spread over the Gulf.

God Bless the people in LA. We thought Ivan was bad....

[par3]

I live in N. Alabama, and I fully expect our schools to close on Tuesday from flooding, power outages, etc. We were out 2 days last year from Ivan...

[zeus]

Aahhha!! Found a site that says its a HOAX!!
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/07jul_marshoax.htm
Then I read, Disappointed? Don't be. If Mars did come close enough to rival the Moon, its gravity would alter Earth's orbit and raise terrible tides. (((Oh?!!)))

Just a coincidence I guess.

I'll say a prayer for those poor people in New Orleans.

[007Scarlett]

'Tornadic activity'. Never heard that expression before.

Posted by: clintcarter | Aug 28, 2005 11:16:44 PM

Common phrase in the Southeast, in "tornado alley"...we hear it at least once a month from April-November.

[!]

I too worry about pets. I read where all the vets in the area were takign in pets if only the people woudl take the time to do it. !! It makes me sad.

Kathleen do not take this storm lightly. 65 miles is not far away at all. With the wind speed you will get a lot of rain and it does not matter how sound your house is. flooding care occur anytime any place. trust me . i know. !!
Please be aware of the worst !
I will never take any kind of torms lightly again.
Hope the storm will spare lives.
The very thought of this happening is terrifying.
I hope people stay out of the waste water and wash their hands all the time every chance you get ,especially the kids. They just do not know and will put their hands in their mouth without thinking o9r even knowing how dangerous it is with all the bacteria.
Tornados can go on for a long time as it works it way inland.
Alabama, Mississippi, Florida as well as tenn, and all the way upwards to RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF
15 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE PATH OF KATRINA ACROSS THE GULF
COAST AND THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES
ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES
REGION TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.
ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS EVENING OVER SOUTHEASTERN
LOUISIANA...SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI...SOUTHERN ALABAMA...AND OVER THE
FLORIDA PANHANDLE TONIGHT.
PLEASE TAKE THIS STORM SERIOUSLY.!!

[Bigfish]

Some areas south of NO already have 8 inches of rain and still falling at 2-3 inches per hour. Nuke plants shutting down. Some reported power outages in Florida and NO, reportedly. NO, Gulfport, Biloxi, IMO, will be devestated. Accu weather reporting as much as 70% of NO will be flooded. Hurricane hunter report due in momentarily. I couldn't leave my pets.

Bigfish

[clintcarter]

Well, this should alleviate any widespread panic...NOT!!!!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/08/28/katrina.doomsday/index.html

Posted by: 007Scarlett | Aug 29, 2005 12:11:18 AM

"Fire ants following you as you scramble up the lightpole..." !!

Grim.

[007Scarlett]

Now wouldn't the toxic waste kill the fire ants, too? Has this guy watched too much of the SciFi channel, or what?

I read that the evacuees in the Superdome have been seated in the stands in case the field floods. How scary is that scenario?

God Bless them all, and their pets. But not the fire ants.

[Isabell]

there is no way i would leave my little dog behind. i just couldn't do it. i can't imagine what he would do all alone in a storm like this. What if the house floods? It would be hard with bigger pets but still I just couldn't leave them