Where were you and what were you doing on August 28-29 2005

[Jim Cantore]

I'm sure many of us will never forget what we were doing on those two days, heres mine

August 28th

12:15pm: Went to bed with a cat 3 Katrina

9:00am Woke up and saw 160mph on the TV screen, stared for a second, seeing if I was reading correctly, pinched myself, then shouted obceneties.

11:00am: saw 175mph, yelled more profanity, got real worried.

11:00am-7:00pm, on and off storm2k, collected hundreds of satelitte Images, never far from a TV.

7:00pm-midnight: on S2K, watching TV, collected satelitte Images.

August 29th

Midnight-12:45am: Sat in bed watching TWC, popped in a tape and taped coverage, then fell asleep.

2:15am: Woke up and found out Katrina was no longer a 5, TWC was in Black and white.

3:00am: Fell back to sleep.

8:00am, Woke up to find my tape stopped as Katrina made her first landfall. also learned she struck at 140mph, I never got out of bed so fast, Screw breakfest, right to S2K.

8am-10am: S2K, Image collecting, waiting for news.

10am-2pm: S2K, image collecting until noon, followed by some time with TWC and my beloved Playstation 2.

2pm-1am on the 30th: SHOCK AND AWE!

I remember this, August 28th was sunny and warm, August 29th was overcast, I nearly lost my head when I found out Katrina became a 5 and likely lost it for a few seconds when she was upped to 175.

[Ixolib]

28 August, 2005 = Boarding windows all day.

29 August, 2005 = Bailing sea water all day.

30 August, 2005 to present = Rebuilding house and life.

[wxmann_91]

Sunday night I went to sleep early preparing to wake up the next morning early, which I did, I woke up around 5:00 AM and then watched until 8:00 AM.

School had just begun the previous Thursday, the day Katrina made its first landfall. I just wish that it could've started a week later.

[Jim Cantore]

Sunday night I went to sleep early preparing to wake up the next morning early, which I did, I woke up around 5:00 AM and then watched until 8:00 AM.

School had just begun the previous Thursday, the day Katrina made its first landfall. I just wish that it could've started a week later.

I started 10 days after her landfall

[wxmann_91]

Sunday night I went to sleep early preparing to wake up the next morning early, which I did, I woke up around 5:00 AM and then watched until 8:00 AM.

School had just begun the previous Thursday, the day Katrina made its first landfall. I just wish that it could've started a week later.

I started 10 days after her landfall

lucky

I remember how I said I was bored of the inactivity in early August, and that since school would start in late August, the activity would only crank up again when I started school. Interestingly enough, the major July activity peaked during my summer school. Emily made its final landfall the day before the last day of summer school.

In hindsight of course I wish I hadn't said that. God bless the victims of the 2005 hurricanes.

[Jim Cantore]

I've never missed a landfall because of school, and I'll make sure that keeps up.

[LSU2001]

28 prepping
29 watching and worrying
30 watching and trying to help others
then until now trying to live in a state ripped apart at the seams. Not a day goes by that I do not face some aspect of Rita and Katrina. All of this and I am extremly lucky and was not impacted very much from either storm. In Public Education however we have been struggling with the very real human trauma and suffering that is still occuring.
Tim

[HurryKane]

It wouldn't fit all into one post.

[MScoast]

28th=getting the heck outta Mississippi

29th=crying all day, thinking nothing would be left of where I once called home. (not to mention the family members I left behind)

30th=trying to get across the Alabama/Mississippi state boarder without getting arrested!

[CHRISTY]

well honestly the night hurricane katrina was makeing landfall near i think westpalmbeach me and my husband were watching TV.but that changed very quickly when katrina took a dive to the south and came threw miamidade conditions outside my cousins house went from very breezy to hurricane conditions everything outside went picthblack i mean picth black it was blowning like crazy windows were shaking the whole nine yards all u can here is people on the radio saying what the hell just happened everybody was is total shock from what was going on outside!of course miamidade was in a hurricane warning the whole time! people fail to understand hurricanes sometimes can move very eratic and if u are under that waring u must prepare as if it was coming right to u because it can go anywere in the warning area.WHAT A NIGHT! and of course WILMA is another story she kept me up all night with here bad self!

[TSmith274]

Yall may like this story...

Saturday... my last visit to my brand new fishing camp in Buras, La... the point of first landfall. My dad and I were going to go fishing that day. Got up, checked the weather as we normally do to make sure we don't run into any thunderstorms. My dad was still in the his bedroom getting ready. Overnight, the track had moved WAY west. It was cat 3 I believe, Buras right in the crosshairs. Dad walks out, says "Did ya get the boat ready?" I said, no dad... we aren't going fishing today. Pre dawn winds were pleasantly breezy... usually a little more than you'd like for a nice calm day of fishing. So, we realized the crap we were in. We closed all the doors in the 4 br house, thinking that maybe if we lost one window, the rest would be ok. Then we emptied the freezer of the hundred or so pounds of speckled trout filets...brought them with us, thinking they would stink to high heaven when the power went out. We left all three of our boats, countless family trinkets, etc... this was a home away from home. We then left around lunch, and ate at a little oyster bar in Empire, about 3 miles up the road... Tom's Place. The oysters were excellent... we had a great South Louisiana meal. The locals were in shock watching the noon news. Complete shock and worry were on all their faces. All of 'em except one drunk who declaired that he would never leave for any storm... he's most likely dead now. So back to New Orleans it was, to batten down the hatches at our New Orleans home.

The next morning at about 2am, we left... headed for our hunting camp in Brookhaven, MS... about 140 miles north of New Orleans. Bumper to bumper traffic, but moving well. Went to bed, woke up the next morning, turned on the TV to a cat 5 headed straight for New Orleans. I almost threw up. I knew New Orleans was a goner... the city I love so much, born and raised. So, we got to thinking... cat 5 heading for N.O... we could concievably have a pretty strong hurricane even where we had evacuated to. Friend of my dad's calls us, worried for our safety and urges us to go stay with him in Monroe, La. Needless to say, we took him up on that offer.

On the drive to Monroe, I hear the mayor give the first mandatory evacuation in New Orleans history... a city that was in the crosshairs for both Betsy and Camille. This is when the lump in my throat came, and dread filled my heart. I knew we'd be away for a long time. On we went to Monroe. Upon getting to Monroe, Katrina had grown into a 175mph beast. Our good friends in Monroe took us to see a movie to get our minds off the innevitable devastation.

Next day, we think we dodged a bullet. Then the phone call from my cousin... an NOPD cop. He tells us that a levee had broken in Lakeview, but that he was still there driving around in his patrol car. Said he saw people running to their cars, and speeding off in rising floodwaters. Tells us he had been to the pumpstation at the 17th St. canal, and that the couplers were overheating. Told us of the heroic efforts of the S&WB employees taking 1 hour shifts... going to the floodwaters, filling up a 5 gallon bucket, running back inside and dumping the water on the couplers to cool them down. This went on unhindered for hours... these heros, exhausting themselves trying to save the city. Unbelievable heroism in my book.

Then the next call from my cousin...and I quote... "Just got word that they are loosing the battle at the pumpstation. The thing is making a whining noise, and the pumps are slowing." Soon after, they ceased. The city filled with water. The rest is history. You can imagine the rest.

Hope yall enjoyed... I've been wanting to write this account down anyway. Pictures of my camp are forthcoming...

The pictures can be viewed in this thread...
http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic ... highlight=

[wxwatcher91]

okay I had to leave to go to NJ that weekend to take my sister to college and all. I woke up the morning we had to leave in awe at how strong Katrina was still after crossing Florida. I printed out a few maps and brought my weather radio for the ride. unfortunately my relatives in NJ dont have internet so I watched the weather channel for updates (not the same as S2K though!) the morning we were to leave. i woke up at 5am to get the next advisory. I saw she had strengthened to 160mph and was in shock. then on the way home I heard the 175mph on my weather radio and was going nuts. my parents were very close to tying me down. Then I was finally home and spent the next 24 hours on S2K.

[Agua]

27th - Boarding up (7 hours)

Wobble watching

28th - Woke up to read we had a 175mph storm heading our way

Weighing the likelihood that it would make landfall on the exact point NHC
forecast track placed it (which was further west than actual landfall and
would have left us *relatively* safer) vs. the risk of 175mph storm fading
to the east of the forecast track.

Evacuated 120 miles north at 10:00 a.m. - back roads, no problem

29th - Watched coverage on TV until about 10:30 a.m. when power went out and
commenced two week period of pioneer life.

[george_r_1961]

I wasnt affected by katrina but nonetheless the night before I sat here glued to my computer worried about my friends down there. I was off that monday and kept Lindaloo posted by telephone on katrinas progress until I lost touch with her in the early morning hours. Watched a few reporters on TV brave the wrath of katrina before i finally passed out mid afternoon.

[Lindaloo]

August 28th- preparing

August 29th- trying to rescue my parents and nephews

August 30th - shocked most of the day.

[HollynLA]

Aug 28th:
I remember waking up to finding out what a monster Katrina had become. Dh and I stood in the living room watching the local met and we couldn't say anything to each other, just kept staring at the TV. We honestly didn't know what to say. The local met (John Gumm), in the middle of giving forecasts and info, stopped and asked that the cameras point at him. He started trying to convince people how serious this was becoming and that even he couldn't comprehend that this was actually happening. I think that his little speech had really started to freak me out a bit.

That night, family shows up at our house to escape their mobile homes. We had people sleeping all over the floors. We all made sure to have a bath before going to sleep since we knew it would be a while till we had another hot bath. I woke up on the 29th at 3am, made coffee and went outside. It was breezy but not too bad at that point. Around 4:30, the wind started to pick up as well as the rain. At 6am, the power went out and it was all downhill from there. We kept hearing the "popping" noises from the house and then lots of clatter. Crept outside with the protection of the carport to see the side of the house (siding, electrical lines, soffit, fascia, phone box, as well as that section of the roof) was scatered about. We also watched the shed roof keep lifting in the corners and we were waiting for the whole thing to come off. I saw roof shingles blowing all over the yard which were obviously from my house. Trees coming down everywhere. At about 3PM, I was screaming "UNCLE", I've had enough, but the wind continued till about 4:30-5pm.

Neighbors had a generator hooked to the tv and I walked over to see the first signs of what had become of NOLA. Shock and awe doesn't describe it.

[docjoe]

The roofers finished my new roof that Dennis damaged on saturday night just prior to Katrina. When I saw the advisories on sunday it gave me chills knowing what was getting ready to happen and knowing as bad as things had been from Dennis and Ivan it was truly going to be worse somewhere. Weird weird feeling.

docjoe

[cajungal]

Woke up before 6 a.m. the morning of the 28th. And I am NOT an early riser. The only time I ever wake up before 10 a.m. is when I have to work in the morning. Anyway, I could not sleep because all I could think about was Katrina possibly heading our way. I woke up before 6 a.m. and my parents had the weather channel on. Katrina was now a monster Cat 5 and still heading in our general direction. My parents panicked and yelled at me to back my bags. I still did not want to leave. Stupid me wanted to stay home and actually experience what a Cat 5 is really like. I thought it would be an experience of a lifetime. We never, ever left for a storm before. Always rode them out at home. But, with my dad, when he tells you to do something, you do it. No use arguing with him. He does not care how old you are. You could be 50 for all he cares. So, I packed my bags. Our house was already boared up and my dad checked the house over and over. Even took pictures just in case. We left to go to my aunt and uncles home. Almost a 3 hour drive. They live in a very rural, hick town north of Lafayette, but well inland away from the coast. And I thought my town was small. But, in their town of Ville Platte, you got to drive 30 minutes just to get to the nearest Mickey D's. I was bored out of my mind.

On the 29th, I was still at my aunt and uncles. We did not get anything from the storm at all over there. We were too far away from it. And found out that Houma-Thibodaux was generally spared. We spent another night and did not head back home until the 30th.

[Kennethb]

Being here in Baton Rouge, I was obviously watching the computer, TV and all about the evacuations, track of Katrina, etc. Power went out Monday around 5:00 for about a week.

Then about three weeks later deja vu all over again.

I was in St. Bernard Parish and the 9th Ward two weeks ago and not much has changed. Still very few people. There were several houses were nobody has returned at all to clean out.

Southwest Louisiana has been almost forgotten with all of the attention on Southeast Louisiana.

[skysummit]

When I went to bed on the 27th, Kat was a 3. At that time I wasn't really worried, and I don't believe most others around me were either. When I awoke on the 28th to see her at 160mph, a Cat 5, I got this feeling of complete numbness that overtook my body. I didn't believe it was happening. I said "this must be an error"....then the inlaws called and said they were heading to Dallas. My wife and I immediately started throwing everything we could into boxes and cases and loaded up the truck and car. We decided to stay in Louisiana, but head to Covington which is about 15 miles west of Slidell. My office is up there and the walls are 3 feet thick, windows are bullet proof, and it has a backup generator.

We got on the road, looked around, and people were in a panic. All of a sudden everyone's windows were getting boarded. This numbness feeling I had earlier returned and was getting stronger. We then got on US Hwy 90 heading toward New Orleans. It seemed as though we were the only ones heading in that direction. In the opposing lanes, traffic was backed up for miles and miles heading west. That's when the numbness grew the strongest. That's when I realized this is really happening, this is what we've been talking about for years and years...the big one.

We had to take back roads through New Orleans to get to the Causeway because of the contraflow. Everywhere we drove, residents that were staying were moving their vehicles to higher ground....the median. We passed one house on Jefferson Hwy that was boarded and each board had a Saint's name on it asking that Saint to pray for them. Then, the radio announced that Katrina has once again strengthened...to 175mph and the pressure was continuing to fall.

I couldn't convince my parents to come with us. They didn't want to leave their house so they stayed in Lafourche Parish (about 50 miles due south of New Orleans). I honestly thought I'd never see them again. I thought the entire southshore of Lake Ponchartrain was going to be obliterated. Thank God Katrina weakened, and she made that little jog to the east sparing us the worst case scenario.

We got to the office, got supplies ready, other employees were showing up, everyone had the pets and such......

That evening I called my parents. They said the wind was really picking up and the skies were black. I could hear fear in their voice. At times I could hear the wind in the background....then they lost power. That was the last I heard from them for a week.

In Covington, we lost power around 1 a.m. on the 29th. The generators kicked on and we were set. All in all, it wasn't that bad in the office. Since the walls were so thick, we couldn't hear a thing except for huge branches that would hit every once and a while. Since the windows were bullet proof, they weren't boarded so I got to watch it. Trees were tumbling, stuff flying, but it was dead silence. Our annemometer broke at 121mph with a big gust of wind. The wind and rain continued for hours and hours, and by the time the evening arrived, the winds were back down to 30 - 40 mph. That's when we ventured out. Covington, La. didn't receive that much damage other than trees down and the occassional roof being peeled off.

The next day I was in Slidell and the Mississippi Gulf Coast working. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The devistation was horrific. I had to stop many, many times just to catch my breath. Downtown Slidell was still under water, but I was able to make it through with my work truck. WWL was trying to get to Eden Isle, but couldn't in their van so they hopped in with me. We got to Eden Isle to find it completely flattened by the storm surge. They interviewed a family who road it out and told an unbelievable story. WWL gave me props on the evening news. Since I have not yet spoken to my parents, they told my parents over the news that I was ok. However, my parents didn't have electricity so they didn't hear it.

Since then, I've been constantly working in the New Orleans area rebuilding communications. We're just about done, but to this day, we still have 3 cell site towers that are running on backup generator because power has not yet been restored. Everything should be back to normal once June 1st arrives...only to be ready for the next one.