Prayers for everyone, especially those who must for some reason stay. I was caught up in Hurricane Betsy back in the mid sixties. I'm sure some bozo will state that these things are "nothing" because they've been through a nor'easter, but I've been through both, and given my druthers, I'd take a nor'easter any day. And this one looks much worse than Betsy.
I was in Betsy too, and it was horrible, but dear God!!! this is the Abyss heading for New Orleans! My prayers for everyone involved!
The "must" for most people down there is, unfortunately, a combination of stupidity, hard-headedness and because the roots growing out of their butts go very deep into the wet soil.
My roots were shallow. I was able to break free years ago.
The weather folks are comparing this to Hurricane Andew - another the last Cat 5 storm to hit the US in 1992.
Luckily I got my kids to leave New Orleans yesterday afternoon, they didn't want to as it ruined their weekend with my daughter's fiance's family. It took them almost 8 hours to make it home. They said I-10 was aleady getting bad. They took 90 most of the way and cut down HWY 146 so as not to have to go through Houston. They caravaned her in 4 carloads. I have a housefull this morning and I am thankful for each and every one of them.
Pray for the folks who have no way to get out of that city. If it continues to strengthen, it's gonna be bad, real bad.