[Strategerist]

They said gulfport and biloxi were not at all expect something of this magnitude and the sudden turn just before landfall caught many off guard.

Sudden turn? It was a microscopic wobble. The storm ended up taking a track within a few miles of the NHC forecast tracks from 60 hours previous to landfall.

And the wobble was irrelevant as the storm surge extended for many miles east of this area. This area would have receieved the same surge without the wobble.

The entire area was under a hurricane watch and warning for an extended period of time. There was no reason for anyone to be caught off guard.

[Americanwolf]

sorry guess I am not the metorologist I thought I wasn't...

any other semantics points of mine you would like to correct?

[dufekin]

The surge seems to have been worse than Camile's, perhaps because this storm was so HUGE. The Hurricane Center downgraded too soon, it seems. Probably a STRONG cat-4 on landfall...same magnitude as the 1886 storm that wiped out a Texas town.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

The entire area was under a hurricane watch and warning for an extended period of time. There was no reason for anyone to be caught off guard.

A friend of mine says he thinks the major warnings before recent hurricanes that ended up less destructive than feared gave many a sense of complacency this time.

There is a strong psychological bond with our "homes" that makes us reluctant to quickly abandon them even when faced with obvious evidence of impending disaster.

It's so ironic today, with our wonderful technology, we can see a satellite image of the horrible fate we face and still deny its presence and its threat.

Death and tragedy always happen to other people...NOT US.

We are often our own worst enemy when it comes to survival.

People have a choice to live on the Gulf Coast or not. Perhaps, they should not be allowed the choice if they cannot act responsibly when faced with a threat of death from a hurricane.

[beachn4fun]

There was no reason for anyone to be caught off guard.

I agree with you. There was plenty of warning! No excuses!

[RavenATB]

"Sudden turn? It was a microscopic wobble. The storm ended up taking a track within a few miles of the NHC forecast tracks from 60 hours previous to landfall."



Most of the destructive power of a hurricane is focused in the northeast quadrant, so a small turn to the east would be turning into the area that would already be the focus of the worst of the storm. The difference for those in Gulfport and that area would be negligible.

The difference for those to the west side of the path...the people who escaped the northeast quadrant because of the small turn, would be huge.

[pctech]

Have some heart man, don't be so damned cold in your assessment.

[Tennessean4Bush]

The entire area was under a hurricane watch and warning for an extended period of time. There was no reason for anyone to be caught off guard.

I agree. My brother lives in Slidell and works for NASA. He and his wife left well in advance the day before and were safe at home with my parents in North Alabama a full day before the storm hit. I do not understand why people did not evacuate. Why tempt fate?

In any event, my God bless these poor souls who have suffered and died.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

Sudden turn? It was a microscopic wobble. The storm ended up taking a track within a few miles of the NHC forecast tracks from 60 hours previous to landfall.

Strategist is correct. Although the media focus was on N.O., the other coastal towns and states could have done something more vocal to evacuate. Why take a chance? Now the N.O. mayor can sleep at night on the decision he made for mandatory evacuation (not that he can sleep long when dealing with the aftermath), and the other officials that didn't, well...