At this hour, Hurricane Gustav is gaining strength once again, having cleared the northwestern tip of Cuba. It is a Category 4 hurricane, and could briefly become a Category 5 storm before weakening back to a Category 4 as it approaches the Louisiana coast. Even so, this is not good news for New Orleans.
Hurricane Katrina was a strong Category 3 hurricane when it passed just east of New Orleans on August 29, 2005. Gustav could be worse. The forecast track puts the storm just WEST of New Orleans on Monday. Such a track would put New Orleans on the stronger right-hand side of the storm's eye. That means that southerly and southeasterly winds of up to 140 mph will be sending huge amounts of water up the Mississippi River and into the heart of the city as the storm makes landfall. The flooding might be worse than it was three years ago.
A mandatory evacuation of the city has been ordered beginning at 8 AM on Sunday. City and state officials have informed the public that if they do not leave, they are effectively on their own. Over 2000 National Guard troops and 1400 police officers are already on duty in advance of the storm's arrival. The New Orleans Superdome will NOT be used as a "shelter of last resort" as it was in 2005.
If the storm does cause massive flooding and damage in New Orleans, it should result in a most interesting debate on how (and even whether) to rebuild the city in the wake of yet another devastating hurricane.
