Not to minimize the potential for loss of life -- not at all, in fact -- but where are the oil/gas refineries in that area? This thing could end up impacting the entire country with, oh, maybe $3.50 gas prices or something (and don't think the speculators won't do that, given any excuse).
Heard earlier that 21 rigs are already being evacuated.
Who knows? There are a LOT of variables still left to play out. What's to say that the westward model shift doesn't continue, that certainly has happened previously with other storms. Could go in around east of Lake Charles, missing most of the population. Could take a sharper turn and come in east of Pensacola.
Heck, any more of a westward model shift and SE Texas enters the cone of possibility. Check out this wording from the advisory:
"Katrina continues to move stubbornly toward the west-southwest or 250 degrees at 7 knots along the eastern side of a very strong deep-layer mean high centered over Texas. In fact...data from the NOAA jet just relayed by the meteorologist onboard indicate that the high continues to be very strong. However...this feature is expected to move westward and leave a weakness over the central Gulf of Mexico. Katrina will likely take that opportunity and begin to turn gradually toward the west-northwest and then northward."
So if that high is delayed in moving west and the storm keeps travelling WSW for awhile, could it end up far enough west that when it does turn it heads into Beaumont, or even Houston? Not likely, but who knows at this point?
