[Dog Gone]

Are you talking about how long it took for the Mayor to issue the evacuation order for New Orleans?

Yes, but that's only a part of it. They should have been talking about the possibility of issuing it late last week. It's not like this storm sneaked up on anyone.

I was arguing on Wednesday that the NHC had the track too far east going up the west coast of Florida. And when Katrina went southwest across the tip of Florida it was OBVIOUS that it was going to have a far more western landfall.

I'm not even beginning to suggest that they should have known last Wednesday that the city was in peril, but by Friday it was clear that there was only a chance that it would not be in peril.

And here it is, Sunday afternoon. The devastation will be underway within 12 hours.

Now they raise the alarm.

[BJungNan]

And here it is, Sunday afternoon. The devastation will be underway within 12 hours. Now they raise the alarm.

How do they evactuate 480,000 people in 12 hours or so?

[RobbyS]

Regarding he evacuation: I hope the cops are trying to speed up the head of the column as much as possible. The cars should be moving away from the storm as fast as possible, even if they have to go 80 MPH. Wreckers should be in place to get cars out of the way as fast as possible in case of piles ups.

[fishntex]

I think that you make a valid point. However, this storm did kind of explode overnight. It seems to me that last night it was a cat3 and not nearly as large. Maybe the NWS should have seen that coming, I do not know. But, better safe than sorry.

I was thinking Friday night that if I lived in NO that I would be packing up and leaving Saturday morning.