Here we go again - IKE

[badknees]

Cat 4

[BigBendHiker]

Yessir...it does not look good.  Next week will be an interesting one again. 



BBH

[SHANEA]

IKE, Strange name for a hurricane.  Only thing that comes to mind is "I like IKE" and I really really really don't want Ike to come visiting...  Ike, you are NOT welcome.  Go away.

So, what day to you think New Orleans will be evacuated - again... 

Those models are pretty "tight" - even five days out...

[Goldilocks]

Oh no!  I haven't seen the news for a couple of days.  I heard Ike was a tropical storm but I didn't know it was now a cat 4.  It also looks like it could head for LA and TX. 

My fear is that people won't evacuate because Gustav didn't do very much damage (relatively speaking) and then get slammed by Ike, or the next one, or the one after that. 

[badknees]

Latest

GFDL (Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Model)

and
 
HWRF (Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting Model)

Maybe NW Gulf?

[BigBendHiker]

It is rather surreal.  The New Orleans Times - Picayune website (link, below), has the headlines of Entergy restoring power.  Then, when you look at the models...makes you wonder if that work is for naught...

http://www.nola.com/



BBH

[SHANEA]

I have to wonder if it's just time to basically permanently evacuate New Orleans and rebuild somewhere else.  Perhaps keep the French Quarter, etc. and make it a mini-tourist town.  Of course, the argument would be that New Orleans has been there for a very long time and has weathered storm after storm.  But, at some point, you have to cut your losses and move on.  How many times and how much money and how many lives are "we" willing to spend to keep rebuilding it all.  It's like the people that live along the Trinity river - they get flooded it seems like every year or two.  At some point, it's time to say enough is enough...

If you have been to Galveston, etc. in the last few years, one has to wonder why the developers and residents are just tempting fate with all of the new high rises, etc.


New Orleans in Hurricane Ike's 'cone of error'

[badknees]

I have to wonder if it's just time to basically permanently evacuate New Orleans and rebuild somewhere else.  Perhaps keep the French Quarter, etc. and make it a mini-tourist town.  Of course, the argument would be that New Orleans has been there for a very long time and has weathered storm after storm.  But, at some point, you have to cut your losses and move on.  How many times and how much money and how many lives are "we" willing to spend to keep rebuilding it all.  It's like the people that live along the Trinity river - they get flooded it seems like every year or two.  At some point, it's time to say enough is enough...

If you have been to Galveston, etc. in the last few years, one has to wonder why the developers and residents are just tempting fate with all of the new high rises, etc.


New Orleans in Hurricane Ike's 'cone of error'

It pains me, but I have to agree with you AGAIN. I believe that's twice in one month.

[RichardM]

If you have been to Galveston, etc. in the last few years, one has to wonder why the developers and residents are just tempting fate with all of the new high rises, etc.

It's funny, but right after Rita the real estate market in Galveston just took off. They started building new beach houses and condos right and left and aren't done yet. Of course, the major difference is that the new developments are, for the most part, vacation homes. The owners pay through the nose for insurance and don't expect any government help should the place get levelled by a storm.

[BigBendHiker]

I have to wonder if it's just time to basically permanently evacuate New Orleans and rebuild somewhere else.  Perhaps keep the French Quarter, etc. and make it a mini-tourist town.  Of course, the argument would be that New Orleans has been there for a very long time and has weathered storm after storm.  But, at some point, you have to cut your losses and move on.  How many times and how much money and how many lives are "we" willing to spend to keep rebuilding it all.  It's like the people that live along the Trinity river - they get flooded it seems like every year or two.  At some point, it's time to say enough is enough...

If you have been to Galveston, etc. in the last few years, one has to wonder why the developers and residents are just tempting fate with all of the new high rises, etc.


New Orleans in Hurricane Ike's 'cone of error'

Yep. Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville had it right when he situated the Quarter on the only dry land between the Mississippi and Lake Ponchartrain. During Katrina, the Quarter was high and dry.

Regarding the development along the coast, take a look at Port O'Connor. $1MM homes being built right on the intra-coastal waterway at 3 feet above sea level. Port O'Connor was wiped clean during Hurricane Carla in 1961.


BBH

[SHANEA]

It pains me, but I have to agree with you AGAIN. I believe that's twice in one month.

 

[SHANEA]

Although Gustav was not as severe as Katrina, more Louisiana households experienced hurricane-force winds this week than in the 2005 storm, a researcher who has done work for Entergy said Friday, as the utility remained under fire for widespread power outages.

Researcher Greg Rigamer said 51.4 percent of Louisiana residents experienced hurricane-force winds during Gustav's wide-ranging trek across the state, compared with 39 percent of residents during Katrina.

"The impact of Gustav was far greater in the state of Louisiana than Katrina. While Katrina was more severe, Gustav was more expansive," Rigamer said. "Gustav had a significant footprint."

Entergy

Gentleman, Start Your Generators...

[RichardM]

Yikes! If Ike follows the models it looks like my family will be spending the weekend in Austin. Not that we mind going to Austin, but the thought of spending the weekend wondering if we'll have a house when we return home makes it somewhat unappealing...

[dkerr24]

At least with hurricanes, you get several days advance notice...  when the tornado sirens go off up here, we got maybe 10 mins to grab whatever we can in a bug-out bag and high tail it to the storm shelter.

[badknees]

Yikes! If Ike follows the models it looks like my family will be spending the weekend in Austin. Not that we mind going to Austin, but the thought of spending the weekend wondering if we'll have a house when we return home makes it somewhat unappealing...

Latest track is farther west, between Port O'Conner and Freeport. Maybe we'll get lucky.