[Deo volente]

I'm no fan of the mayor. In fact, he's a disgrace.

But lest anyone has forgotten, the FIRST official hurricane WARNING wasn't even issued until late Saturday evening, August 27. Earlier in the day, there were hurricane watches issued, but by Saturday evening it was becoming apparent that New Orleans would probably be facing a direct hit from a Cat 4 or 5 storm.

Heck, on Thursday the 25th, Katrina was only a Category 1 hurricane that was moving west out the Florida Keys. It did not turn north and grow larger until later. No one could have predicted on Thursday where the hurricane would go.


HURRICANE KATRINA ADVISORY NUMBER  19
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
10 PM CDT SAT AUG 27 2005

...DANGEROUS HURRICANE KATRINA THREATENS THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF
COAST...A HURRICANE WARNING ISSUED...
 
AT 10 PM CDT...0300Z...A HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.  A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/pub/al122005.public.019.shtml

[exhaustedmomma]

Cars on Saturday clog Interstate 10, the main route out of New Orleans.
Not everyone has a means to evacuate the city though and, according to The Associated Press, at least 100,000 people may have to ride out the storm in town.
Mayor Nagin has said the Superdome might be used as a shelter for people unable to leave.

9:16 PM EDT on August 27, 2005
New Orleans finally got serious and ordered an evacuation, but far too late. There is no way everyone will be able to get out of the city in time, and they may be forced to take shelter in the Superdome, which is above sea level. If Katrina makes a direct hit on New Orleans as a Category 4 hurricane, the levees protecting the city will be breached, and New Orleans, which is 6 - 10 feet below sea level, will fill with water. On top of this 6 feet of water will come a 15 foot storm surge, and on top of that will be 20 foot waves, so the potential for high loss of life is great. Given the current track and intensity forecast, I'd put the odds of this at about 20%.
SOURCE

*Ponchratrain Bridge out of NO was never opened to oneway out only traffic. Last I saw, it was a traffic jam that people walked away from rather than sit there during the storm.

[MizSterious]

Deo's post is confusing to me, perhaps someone can help out here. I knew as of Saturday morning that a hurricane was headed for that part of the Gulf Coast. Is there an earlier advisory? Their search engine is difficult for me to use--keeps coming up with gobbledygook.

[Peach]

That's not correct, Deo.

The Hurricane Weather service man, and others, called the Mayor, at home, and urged him to order an evacuation.

http://freerepublic.com/focus/news/1476538/posts?page=2

[joinedafterattack]

BS Deo. My daugher started driving Saturday morning when the gas lines started to form in the city. It was more than 24 hours later that the city was told of a mandatory evacuation.