ATL GUSTAV: Tropical Depression - Discussion

[Enzo Aquarius]

The levee is Braithwaite, mandatory evacuations are occuring. It is being overtopped.

[PhillyWX]

http://philadelphiaweather.blogspot.com ... -nola.html

Some pics from Fox NOLA of the work on the levee as they're trying to save it.

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

I believe that the west turn the last few hours before landfall saved New orleans. Do you agree?

[MGC]

Here in Pass Christian, there is no power, no water or phone service. Lots of trees down and power lines down. Went down by the beach and there was large pieces of debris on the hwy. Looked to be pieces of a pier. I estimate the water was a good 5 feet deep on the hwy. Surge has receeded to seawall. Have heard that there is significant damage in west Pass Christian.....MGC

[bob rulz]

I believe that the west turn the last few hours before landfall saved New orleans. Do you agree?

Yes. It wouldn't have taken too much more to cause more damage to those levees.

If I recall correctly, many of the levees during Katrina failed as the storm was moving away though. I remember initially they thought that New Orleans had gotten off pretty well, then a few hours later all these levee failure reports started coming in.

[funster]

I believe that the west turn the last few hours before landfall saved New orleans. Do you agree?

Not really. It seems the surge from the south is causing lots of problems in several parishes.

[Enzo Aquarius]

If I recall correctly, many of the levees during Katrina failed as the storm was moving away though. I remember initially they thought that New Orleans had gotten off pretty well, then a few hours later all these levee failure reports started coming in.

This is essentially what's occuring right now in Plaquemines.

[HarlequinBoy]

Here in Pass Christian, there is no power, no water or phone service. Lots of trees down and power lines down. Went down by the beach and there was large pieces of debris on the hwy. Looked to be pieces of a pier. I estimate the water was a good 5 feet deep on the hwy. Surge has receeded to seawall. Have heard that there is significant damage in west Pass Christian.....MGC

Blah, that blows. Well, I know it could have been worse...but I still feel bad for you guys.


I haven't been able to contact my cousin in Schriever, Louisiana.

[Brent]

I believe that the west turn the last few hours before landfall saved New orleans. Do you agree?

Yes. It wouldn't have taken too much more to cause more damage to those levees.

If I recall correctly, many of the levees during Katrina failed as the storm was moving away though. I remember initially they thought that New Orleans had gotten off pretty well, then a few hours later all these levee failure reports started coming in.

Yep!

I can't believe the levees can't even stand up to a weakening Cat 2.

[Enzo Aquarius]

Levee issues:

Caernarvon Diversion levee overtopping and Lafitte is flooding

[Pipercub]

For those in Houston wondering about rain, we're getting our first bands of significant rain here in Spring, Texas (north of Houston/south of Woodlands). Clouds moving to the southwest.

[funster]

Multiple levees failing and being overtopped: http://www.beloblog.com/WWLTV_Blogs/breakingnews/

[Hybridstorm_November2001]

Here is a repost of the live coverage link:

http://www.wwltv.com/video/?nvid=57429&live=yes

I'm watching it now.

[Enzo Aquarius]

I think these next few hours are going to be the true tests for New Orleans' levees.

[wxman57]

Multiple levees failing and being overtopped: http://www.beloblog.com/WWLTV_Blogs/breakingnews/

Were the recon planes inside Gustav prior to landfall even able to find evidence of Cat 2 winds? I seem to remember max FL winds of 93 kts prior to landfall. That's not a Cat 2 hurricane. I think it's pretty clear that the levees can't handle a moderately-large Cat 1 hurricane.

[HarlequinBoy]

CNN says they expect the Plaquemines Parish levee to fail.

[bob rulz]

I believe that the west turn the last few hours before landfall saved New orleans. Do you agree?

Not really. It seems the surge from the south is causing lots of problems in several parishes.

Most of them are outside New Orleans though. It certainly looks like there will be some damage, but New Orleans itself won't see anything even remotely close to what occurred during Katrina. Of course, I'm basing most of this off of looking at maps of the area, I'm not personally familiar with the geography of the New Orleans area, but it seems that most of the levees within New Orleans itself are not in danger of failing.

Of course I could just be behind the curve right now.

I believe that the west turn the last few hours before landfall saved New orleans. Do you agree?

Yes. It wouldn't have taken too much more to cause more damage to those levees.

If I recall correctly, many of the levees during Katrina failed as the storm was moving away though. I remember initially they thought that New Orleans had gotten off pretty well, then a few hours later all these levee failure reports started coming in.

Yep!

I can't believe the levees can't even stand up to a weakening Cat 2.

Even though it made landfall as a cat 2, it was still cat 3 storm surge wasn't it?

Still, I really hope that this fairly moderate storm will be a wake-up call that IT IS WORTH IT to spend billions of dollars to significantly (and I mean SIGNIFICANTLY) strengthen the levees.

[fasterdisaster]

bob rulz, it was Category 4 surge.

[x-y-no]

Multiple levees failing and being overtopped: http://www.beloblog.com/WWLTV_Blogs/breakingnews/

Were the recon planes inside Gustav prior to landfall even able to find evidence of Cat 2 winds? I seem to remember max FL winds of 93 kts prior to landfall. That's not a Cat 2 hurricane. I think it's pretty clear that the levees can't handle a moderately-large Cat 1 hurricane.

Yes, unfortunately I think that's so.

And It's not something that can be fixed quickly. Even a crash program would take years.

[bob rulz]

bob rulz, it was Category 4 surge.

How could it have been a category 4 surge if it was never a cat 4 in the Gulf? Isn't a cat 4 surge upwards of 20 feet? This surge isn't that high...