Speaking of weather..Gustav

[Faithmom6]

Well, I just saw a report on the local news here in Lafayette. They're putting everybody here on alert to be sure everyong watches where this storm is aiming to go.
Anybody else living in the Gulf Coast states??
A guy at the mall last night told me that if we start hearing them say the storm is coming into Vermillion Bay, more than likely we'll be evacuated.
We have our eye on your Gustav!

[RadioJonD]

NOAA - http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?5day#contents

For those with shortwave radios - http://tinyurl.com/5d5r5n Also check the great link list at the bottom.

Online radio scanning opportunities:

Alabama - http://scannerfeeds.us/modules/tinycontent/index.php?id=1

Mississippi - http://scannerfeeds.us/modules/tinycontent/index.php?id=24

Louisianna - http://scannerfeeds.us/modules/tinycontent/index.php?id=18


I'll try to add more as Gustav's route updates.

[Faithmom6]

I'll try to add more as Gustav's route updates.



That would be awesome. Thank you.

[kelly ann]

Hope it passes you!! Stay safe!!:tree:

[dvdguy]

what i see now shows hes heading to louisiana, that can change as we all know

[irishsnow]

Its gonna hit somewhere so hopefully will be safe

[Faithmom6]

My husband says we will "head for the hills" if Gustav comes this way!!
This might not be a bad thing in that respect.
We never get time off for anything. So, hopefully we can go visit family. My family and my husband's family live out of state.
Just don't know what we'll come back to. KWIM?
I know this and I don't mean this to be ugly at all, but I honestly think if there's another disaster like Katrina or Rita - our family will be on its own.
I don't know how dependable our government is. I do know our governor, who I really, really, really like - says he's staying here in LA if the hurricanes hit. Because he says he is here for the State of Louisiana. I appreciate that so much.
Anyway!! I guess we'll see what happens!!!

[SparkleNana]

Faithmomof6 - it really is terrifying to think of anything like Katrina happening again. The whole country - well, I guess the whole world - watched the deaths and destruction after Katrina. There is a lot of fear that the levees have not been made safer in the three years since that tragedy.

I don't understand it -- the entire country of Holland (the Netherlands) is way below sea level, and surrounded by levees to keep the ocean out. Couldn't we have asked them how to do it?

[Faithmom6]

Faithmomof6 - it really is terrifying to think of anything like Katrina happening again. The whole country - well, I guess the whole world - watched the deaths and destruction after Katrina. There is a lot of fear that the levees have not been made safer in the three years since that tragedy.

I don't understand it -- the entire country of Holland (the Netherlands) is way below sea level, and surrounded by levees to keep the ocean out. Couldn't we have asked them how to do it?

If something is working for someone else, by ALL MEANS please ask what it is they're doing right and learn from it.
Those levees still aren't strong enough. I've heard too many reports about them to think they'll hold. I feel so bad for those precious people.
I love and care about people. I just hate to think of New Orleans being flooded again due to those levees failing. I don't know why they didn't fix them correctly. They need to be torn down and rebuilt with quality.
I pray that the people will evacuate this time. ((((Hugs to my New Orleans friends and neighbors))))

[Ms_Speedy_Elf]

It looks like with all the money they make from Madi Gras they could afford to fix the levee's. That should be TOP priority.

[Faithmom6]

It looks like with all the money they make from Madi Gras they could afford to fix the levee's. That should be TOP priority.

I couldn't agree more....

[SparkleNana]

Ms. Speedy Elf - you are so right! It SHOULD be top priority! Someone told me that there were millions and millions of dollars spent (was it by the Army Corps of Engineers? I don't remember who spent the money. But now it is coming out that the money was all wasted - because the repairs were done wrong....? Does anybody understand what happened? I am ashamed to say I wasn't really paying attention when it was mentioned...

But, I think we can all agree that we WISH it had been done right in the last three years, if not before!!

[Ms_Speedy_Elf]

Ms. Speedy Elf - you are so right! It SHOULD be top priority! Someone told me that there were millions and millions of dollars spent (was it by the Army Corps of Engineers? I don't remember who spent the money. But now it is coming out that the money was all wasted - because the repairs were done wrong....? Does anybody understand what happened? I am ashamed to say I wasn't really paying attention when it was mentioned...

But, I think we can all agree that we WISH it had been done right in the last three years, if not before!!


It is bad enough of how FEMA treated these people .

I remember right didn't they recently find out that donation's of house hold good's and such that were supposed to of been given to the Katrina victims were found stocked up in a warehouse ,rather than being distributed.

What is wrong with our goverment????????

[RadioJonD]

Faithmom6,if you have a radio scanner - http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?stid=22

Louisiana Department of Transportation - http://www.dotd.state.la.us/ Hurricane Info is on front page. Traffic web cams are to the right under Traffic Information.

New Orleans Web Cams - http://www.nola.com/bourbocam/ Note that many of the below TV Stations have live web cams as well.
Type "New Orleans Web Cameras" into a search engine for more.


Louisiana Television - New Orleans:

http://www.abc26.com/pages/main

http://www.wwltv.com/

http://www.wdsu.com/index.html

http://www.nola38.com/pages/main

http://www.pbs.org/wlae/ (Public Television)

http://wyes.org/index.shtml (Public Television)


Louisiana Television - LaFayette:

http://www.katc.com/

http://www.klfy.com/

http://www.kadn.com/

http://www.lpb.org/ (Public Television)


Louisiana Radio Stations - http://www.usliveradio.com/louisiana.html

I'm still looking for public safety radio scanners online for the affected area.

[Mumof2]

We will be keeping a very close eye on this storm.My hubby is from South Louisiana.His whole family is there.we are keeping ya's in our thoughts!! and praying it dont hit. Be safe!
We went through Dennis,Katrina,& Rita.I remember waiting for it t hit.The worst thing in the world is waiting for it to hit.then the silence,then the noise.

[RadioJonD]

Mississippi Gulf Coast Televison Stations:

http://www.wlox.com/

http://www.wxxv25.com/

Mississippi Radio Stations - http://www.usliveradio.com/mississippi.html Look for ones in the Biloxi/Gulfport area.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Radio Scanner - http://www.nexusradio.us/ (Note: A message says that it's off line but I list it here anyway just in case.)

Mississippi Department of Transportation - http://www.mstraffic.com/ Click on Gulf Coast to locate traffic web cams should evacuation of the entire Gulf Coast become necessary.

[RadioJonD]

Alabama Gulf Coast Beach Web Cameras - http://www.bamabeachcams.com/LiveCams/GulfShoresWebCams.htm

Alabama Department of Transportation Hurricane Information - http://tinyurl.com/5pu8n3
Alabama Department of Transportation Traffic Web Cams - http://tinyurl.com/6m5lfp Click on Mobile County for Gulf cameras.


Mobile, AL Radio Scanner - http://www.al.com/mobilepolice/

NOAA Weather Broadcasts (National Weather Service - Mobile) - http://audioplayer.wunderground.com/jtyler003/mobile.mp3.m3u

Mobile, AL TV Stations:

http://www.myfoxgulfcoast.com/myfox/

http://www.wkrg.com/

http://www.wfgxtv.com/

http://www.nbc15online.com/Default.aspx


Metro Mobile, AL Radio Stations - http://www.ontheradio.net/metro/mobile_al.aspx

[RadioJonD]

Gustav - http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?5day#contents

Mobile, AL Radar - http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/radar.php?rid=mob&product=N0R&overlay=11101111&loop=no

Check the top left area under Adjacent Radars for arrows to nearby radar sites. You may put any radar in motion by clicking various movement choices.

[SparkleNana]

:gift: RadioJonD -- you are amazing!!! Thank you so much for giving us these ways to keep track of what is happening! WOW! I am impressed!

[Ms_Speedy_Elf]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news

, Tropical Storm Hanna has developed in the western Atlantic.
View the Hanna Tracker (http://www.weather.com/newscenter/hurricanecentral/2008/hanna.html).
The tropical storm is centered about 260 miles northeast of the Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.
Hanna is forecast to track northwest into the weekend and become a hurricane by Sunday or Monday. Fortunately, at that point, it will be located well northeast of the Bahamas. It does not appear to be of any threat to land in the near future, but Hanna will need to be closely monitored beyond this weekend and during the majority of next week.
View the projected path (http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm8/projectedpath_large.html) for Hanna.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic Basin, a tropical wave was also located a few hundred miles west of the Cape Verde Islands. It remains disorganized for now, but it may begin to organize in the next few days. It will continue to be monitored as it moves westward.
Another area of strong convection is located in the southern Bay of Campeche. This activity is too close to land for any rapid development

[angiejo]

Keep your eye on the storm. I sent you a private message. I am from Central Louisiana. We won't evacuate, but we will receive folks from the South seeking shelter. We will take residents into our nursing home. My brother has a nursing home near Lake Charles. He has plans to come to Jena should he have to evacuate. This is usually a 3 hr drive, but during evacuation traffic gets heavy unless he leaves sooner. Last time during Hurricane Rita it took him 7 hours to get to us. Evacuation is hard on the elderly even if you plan to leave early.
So respect the storm and listen to the OEP authorities. Plan to be gone from your home for a week should you have to evacuate. Take items with you that you wouldn't want to lose should your home be destroyed. These are lessons learned from friends that suffered thru Katrina and Rita. Angiejo

[SparkleNana]

Great post, Angealo!

Talk about needing to think ahead! We are talking about hundreds of thousands of people evacuating. These are people who probably couldn't afford to take a weeks' vacation at a hotel this year. Now they have to buy lots and lots of gas at these high prices; hope their car doesn't break down (if they own a car); pay for restaurant meals; etc. etc. Are they supposed to sleep in their cars for a week?

I know, I know -- it is a lot better than dying in the floods from broken levees. But this is a terrible situation!

[ReineV]

One of my friends is a teacher in New Orleans and lost everything in Katrina. She ended up evacuating to Texas with some friends just hours before the storm hit. All she had with her was two changes of clothes, she lost everything else in the storm. She really hasn't been the same since. Her brother is now down there with her attending school at Loyola, so they decided to evacuate. They're on their way back home to Atlanta as I type this.

[rodmonster]

Well, I just saw a report on the local news here in Lafayette. They're putting everybody here on alert to be sure everyong watches where this storm is aiming to go.
Anybody else living in the Gulf Coast states??
A guy at the mall last night told me that if we start hearing them say the storm is coming into Vermillion Bay, more than likely we'll be evacuated.
We have our eye on your Gustav!

When you say...Lafayette...you mean in Louisiana?

If so - thats where we are from. Wife was born and raised in Baton Rouge. My daughter was born in Natchitoches. I moved to Baton Rouge in the 80s and then we went to school up at NSU.
Most of her family still lives between New Orleans and Baton Rouge!

I was in New Orleans on business a week ago. The Quarter looked nice - but once your past it....still very sad......
=(

[SparkleNana]

I wonder which areas will have a mandatory evacuation.

Does anyone know how that works? Do you just follow the other cars and dri ve and drive? How do you know when and where to stop?

[Faithmom6]

When you say...Lafayette...you mean in Louisiana?

If so - thats where we are from. Wife was born and raised in Baton Rouge. My daughter was born in Natchitoches. I moved to Baton Rouge in the 80s and then we went to school up at NSU.
Most of her family still lives between New Orleans and Baton Rouge!

I was in New Orleans on business a week ago. The Quarter looked nice - but once your past it....still very sad......
=(

Hi There,
Yes, Lafayette, LA!
I have friends in NO as well and Baton Rouge.

[Faithmom6]

Well, it's best to have a plan.
We have family in TX and in AR who have welcomed us with open arms.
Right now, the evacuations are NOT mandatory. It's all voluntary. But I have a feeling that it's all going to turn into mandatory evacuations.
We're already having trouble with gas stations running out of gas, no water, etc. People have finally heeded the warnings of evacuation.
It's very scary thinking you could come back home to absolute splinters and nothing. Very sobering.
But we will be safe no matter what. And that's what counts.

I wonder which areas will have a mandatory evacuation.

Does anyone know how that works? Do you just follow the other cars and dri ve and drive? How do you know when and where to stop?

[RadioJonD]

Texas Atlas - http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/state/texas.html

NOAA Weather Broadcasts (National Weather Service - Corpus Christi) - http://audioplayer.wunderground.com/kc5cqm/CorpusChristi.mp3.m3u

Galveston Radio Scanner. Includes US Coast Guard - http://tx.scanamerica.us/index.php?county=Galveston

Texas Gulf Coast Webcams - http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/texascams.htm

Texas Department of Transportation Traffic Cameras - http://www.dot.state.tx.us/travel/traffic_cameras.htm
Texas Department of Transportation Hurricane Information - http://www.dot.state.tx.us/travel/hurricane.htm

Texas Television Stations

Corpus Christi

http://www.kiiitv.com/

http://www.kztv10.com/

http://www.koro.entravision.com/p956.html (Spanish)

http://www.kristv.com/

http://www.kedt.org/ (Public Television)

Beaumont

http://www.kbmt12.com/

http://www.kfdm.com/

Harlingen - http://www.team4news.com/


Texas Radio Stations - http://metalinks.com/txradio.htm Listed alphabetically; use the atlas above to find stations along the Gulf Coast.


RadioJonD -- you are amazing!!! Thank you so much for giving us these ways to keep track of what is happening! WOW! I am impressed!

You're Welcome SparkleNana! Part of my job is disaster preparedness.

[dvdguy]

Ok its a cat 4 now, so running for the hills is gonna be the best bet here

[RadioJonD]

A great blog post from one of the experts in Military monitiring, Larry Van Horn. The article includes National Guard preperation & frequencies for folks with shortwave radios capable of tuning sideband.

http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/2008/08/national-guard-preps-for-gustav.html

[Ms_Speedy_Elf]

Please know that all affected by this are in my prayer's.

[RadioJonD]

Simultaneous feeds of four New Orleans TV Stations. You have to mute the three you don’t want to hear, but video remains for all! -

http://www.maroonspoon.com/wx/gustav.html

[RadioJonD]

If you have a trained radio ear, you can listen to Amatuer Radio Operators (Hams) on the Hurricane Watch Net (14.325 SSB). Cuban Operators are giving the latest news of Gustav at time of this post. This is as raw, unedited and current as it gets!

http://icecast.scanamerica.us/NASA.m3u

[RadioJonD]

A kind soul in New Orleans has put up a live feed of public safety agencies. It will get wild as Gustav nears!

http://www.radioreference.com:8000

Also listen live to San Antonio, Texas Hurricane Evac Operations here - http://www.radioreference.com:8000/

Actually, most of these links will probably go dark/silent as Gustav makes landfall.

[Maebeary]

Keeping all in the path of Gustav in my prayers!

[Wenceslaus]

The mayor of New Orleans has ordered an evacuation of the city before the hurricane hits on Monday. Map of Hurricane Gustav's projected path (http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm7/atl7projectedpath_large.html?from=hp_main_maps).

[Ms_Speedy_Elf]

I heard on the news today that some people are chosing to stay in the affected area regardless. I'm sorry,but after seeing the devistation that happened 3 year's ago yesterday I don't understand how anyone could want to stay.

I have wondered this...why were there so many people left remaining in New Orleans during Katrina? I just don't understand how that many people could be without automobile's .

[Annette1990]

The mayor of New Orleans has ordered an evacuation of the city before the hurricane hits on Monday. Map of Hurricane Gustav's projected path (http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm7/atl7projectedpath_large.html?from=hp_main_maps).
I heard about this an hour ago on CNN. How scary! I pray for all the people in the storms path to get out safe and sound. Nagin made it clear that this is mandatory and anyone who choses to stay will not have any help from law enforcement or medical help.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/08/30/gustav.prepare/index.html

[SparkleNana]

For many residents hit by Katrina, some houses escaped serious damage. However, there was terrible looting after Katrina. Residents came back to find that trucks had gone through their neighborhoods, removing furniture, electronic appliances, clothing, anything of any value.

You may remember that the police forces were devastated by Katrina also. Many of their houses were destroyed, and there was mass confusion. It is my understanding that the New Orleans police had only enough returning personnel to protect the French Quarter and the downtown business area. This left the surrounding areas totally free to be looted.

One of my friends lives in the Metarie area of New Orleans. Her 3-story townhouse suffered damage to the first floor from Katrina. However, a group of transient workers moved into the undamaged second and third floors of her house, and used her house as a base from which to do their looting. Since the plumbing and water wasn't working, they did quite a bit of damage to the townhouse -- before moving on to another, more pristine residence.

Since many residents suffered great damage from the looters, some feel they must stay to protect their property this time. It may not be the best decision. But these people have suffered tremendous stress in the last three years, and they simply may not be able to make the best decisions at this point.

[Wenceslaus]

Far more damage was done to property in New Orleans by the flooding caused by the breaching of the drainage canal levees, than by the initial Hurricane Katrina. If the repaired and strengthened levees hold — and that's a big "if" — I can see how some people would prefer to stay to protect their property from looting.

[ReineV]

I heard on the news today that some people are chosing to stay in the affected area regardless. I'm sorry,but after seeing the devistation that happened 3 year's ago yesterday I don't understand how anyone could want to stay.

I have wondered this...why were there so many people left remaining in New Orleans during Katrina? I just don't understand how that many people could be without automobile's .

I have a friend who teaches in a very poor neighborhood in New Orleans and she sees, first hand, how poverty stricken a lot of NO is. For middle class Americans, a car is something everyone has, but my friend says she has kids coming to school several days in a row wearing the exact same clothes. For them, a car is an unattainable luxury. Some of these people have to probably choose between keeping their electricity on or eating for the week. She says that Katrina blew the lid off of how devastatingly poor NO really is. Middle class Americans probably can't really fathom "that kind of poor" being on American soil, but a lot of the neighborhoods her kids come from look like 3rd world country slums. That said, I'm hoping everyone gets out in time and whoever chooses to stay....well...God be with them.

[Head Elf]

I agree with you about the way our kids our living in a country that boasts on helping everyone. Well almost everyone, they would rather send their money to overseas areas instead of helping our own out. I know that sounds like a disgusting thought, but why should our children suffer? I've seen kids in my area feeding out of a dumpster. That is disgusting and unacceptable. But I hope those citizens of NO will be ok and be able to come home to a home.

[ReineV]

I agree with you about the way our kids our living in a country that boasts on helping everyone. Well almost everyone, they would rather send their money to overseas areas instead of helping our own out. I know that sounds like a disgusting thought, but why should our children suffer? I've seen kids in my area feeding out of a dumpster. That is disgusting and unacceptable. But I hope those citizens of NO will be ok and be able to come home to a home.

I agree. I understand wanting to help out abroad, I'm all for it, but we still need help at home. Even here in Atlanta, there are children doing without basic necessities and I don't think that is acceptable at all.

[Ms_Speedy_Elf]

I agree HeadElf. I mean I have always heard that charity begins at home .

[Faithmom6]

Hello to all my Christmassy Friends,

Well, I never thought it'd be me. But we have evacuated.
We just got a house on Friday. And evacuated it on Saturday.
We went to where our trailer is in DeRidder, LA to secure it the best we could. I wrapped my pictures and paintings in plastic trash bags and taped them and then stuffed them between the mattresses on our beds. I wrapped my piano in bisquiene -however you spell it.
We locked the doors and drove away.
My 18 year old son stayed in Lake Charles to ride out the storm. If the hurricane doesn't kill him...I might!! He has made an old person out of me in just 2 days time. I've been sick over this bad decision and have begged and begged and cried for him to evacuate. But he thinks he's fine.
Just pray for him. My main prayer is that we will still be able to communicate through the storm and afterwards.
I miss being on here. But we're glued to Fox news and The Weather Channel.
Pray for us yall.
I'll be back soon....

[Chillywilly]

Hi Faithmom6, I will be praying for you and your son. I know that is a very scary thing to have to face.

[kelly ann]

Hi Faithmom6, I will be praying for you and your son. I know that is a very scary thing to have to face.

Im sure he'll be ok!! Take Care everyone and Good Luck. Be sure to keep us posted.

[officepro4u]

As a fellow hurricane evacuee and rider-out...I will keep you in my prayers! Your son will be a special prayer for his safety. Hang in there! Keep us posted when you can.

[Ms_Speedy_Elf]

Faithmom,you and your son are in my prayer's. Please keep us posted when you can .

[Wenceslaus]

At least some good news. Gustav has been downgraded from a Level 3 to a Level 2 hurricane.

[irishsnow]

Downgraded to a level 1 now