Gov. Blanco just said Rita may hit New Orleans directly

[Roxy66]

she is doing a press conference...did you guys hear that?

[alittlelark]

1. I heard it too, and the Rita pic looked like it

was turning towards NO.

[fooj]

2. Oh no! OMG!

:cry:

[mshasta]

3. I freaking knew it!!!

fuck!!!...

[Roxy66]

4. She just said to write your Social Security number on your arm...whoa

[lse7581011]

7. For ID Purposes?? n/t

[CountAllVotes]

8. yeah I heard that = easy ID in case you're DEAD! !!!

Makes for an easy ID in case you happen to be dead ... or lost ... dead most likely - hopefully you'd survive to talk! :scared:

This is holy hell we are witnessing! Holy Hell!!!

:kick:

[Roxy66]

10. How many people did the mayor get to come back into the city?

I'm sorry, I think that was so dumb

[lse7581011]

21. This Is Just Unbelievable!

It seems like I'm reading a very bad novel!

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. the whole last five years have been a bad novel

[marshall]

11. Preparing to die?

Is it too late to get people out of harm's way? Is the only recourse to write your ID on your arm and wait for the water?

[Hissyspit]

5. Kee-rhist. Wish it would hit Bush directly.

It's so good we have a real leader in charge in this time of unprecedented natural national crisis. /sarcasm

[Momof1]

6. Where's the next weather system at? Could it come down &

push Rita into New Orleans?

[0007]

22. Yikes!!

[MaineYooper]

9. hmmm- that's a big change from what NHC is predicting

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/145647.shtml?3day

[Roxy66]

13. Maybe she is just trying to scare the shit out of people..so they leave

[meganmonkey]

14. Yeah, it looks like NO is in the 10-19% prob. range

unless my geography is way off..

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT18/refresh/AL1805P_sm2+gif/145647P_sm.gif

[Brotherjohn]

12. Not likely, but it will get closer than they had thought. The latest...

...models are in pretty good consensus, and show a landfall around the TX/LA border.



That HAS shifted significantly to the east in the last 24 hours or so. But we're running out of time for more shifting, and the certainty gets greater as a storm gets closer. Rita would just about have to pull a 90 degree trun to hit N.O. directly. Lafayette, on the other hand, could be in for a Katrina-type situation (probably being in the NE quadrant, and possibly getting the eye).

It will, however, be felt in N.O. And you never know... distance chance yes, but what if it stalls or something.

She's being alarmning in a way... but given the situation, one could say she's just being safe.

[tx_dem41]

15. Did she say "New Orleans" or "Louisiana"? n/t

[Walt Starr]

16. Not even the 5 day cone of uncertainty has NO in the crosshairs

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT18/refresh/AL1805W5_sm2+gif/145647W_sm.gif

[DemocratSinceBirth]

18. Don't Be A Spoil Sport And Ruin The Fear Fest...

These events are traumatic enough...

[InternalDialogue]

23. off-topic, but...

...based on that graphic depiction, I'm going to put money on the Minnesota Vikings this weekend.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. And the cone no longer has Mexuico either

why is this important? Where do you think some of the rescue teams WILL come from?

[Mr_Spock]

17. I was just going to post that I think Rita will attack Louisiana

...and because it's the right side hitting NO, it will reflood the city, maybe even worse than before. Don't be surprised based on the frequent corrections by National Hurricane Center to the right (IE, North into NO). "A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM CURRENTLY CENTERED OVER
NORTHERN TEXAS/OKLAHOMA IS EXPECTED TO SHIFT EASTWARD ALLOWING RITA
TO TAKE A MORE NORTHWESTERLY AND NORTHERLY TRACK. THE EASTWARD
SHIFT OF THE HIGH IS FORECAST BY ALL GLOBAL MODELS...RESULTING IN
TRACK GUIDANCE CONSISTENTLY TURNING THE HURRICANE TOWARD THE
NORTHWEST AND NORTH TOWARD THE UPPER-TEXAS OR THE WESTERN LOUISIANA
COASTS."

Yikes!!

[trekbiker]

19. if it stays perfectly straight on its current northwest track

it will make landfall at Galveston. do these things ever track straight? most seem to hook to the north and east. best thing would be if it would hook to the south but what are the chances of that?

i stuck a ruler up against my computer screen in order to come up with this expert opinion (very scientific)

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/gmex-vis-loop.html

[VolcanoJen]

20. She's speaking of Louisiana... Mayor of St. Charles on CNN now

St. Charles, LA, near the Texas border, could very well take a direct hit.