With all this attention on NOLA, I hope the folks in Mobile are paying even closer attention. Mobile has seen her fair share of storms over the past few years, but that "nightmare scenario" for there has yet to materialize. In all those storms the eye either came right up the Bay or to the east. The result was the water being sucked out of the Bay. I've seen this effect first hand with Frederick ('79), and my Pops said it happened again with Ivan.
A Goula/Biloxi landfall will put the "dirty" part of the storm pumping water right up the Bay. A 30 ft surge in Mobile will not be pretty besides the fact that my parents and grandparents home would be completely under water. Bay Front Road and Downtown Mobile under 30 ft of water is a very disheartening thought.
Agree--and all of the N GOM storms have been ultimately tracking a bit east of the early predictions. The extraordinary lead time required for N.O. evac can only result in inaccurate predictions. Then there are always the disaster wishcasters...don't get me started on that one.