I was just talking to my son about this. I'd say -- with a direct hit at Cat4 or Cat5 -- the Aints won't have any home games for a couple of months, as the water should be halfway up the Lodge Level in the Dome.
...Katrina re-organizing over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico...
at 4 PM CDT...2100z...the Hurricane Watch is extended westward to Intracoastal City Louisiana and eastward to the Florida-Alabama border. A Hurricane Watch is now in effect along the northern Gulf Coast from Intracoastal City to the Alabama-Florida border.
A Hurricane Warning will likely be required for portions of the northern Gulf Coast later tonight or Sunday. Interests in this area should monitor the progress of Katrina.
At 5 PM EDT...2100z...the Tropical Storm Warning is discontinued for the Florida Keys.
For storm information specific to your area...including possible inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued by your local weather office.
At 4 PM CDT...2100z...the center of Hurricane Katrina was located near latitude 24.6 north...longitude 85.6 west or about 380 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and about 240 miles west of Key West Florida.
Katrina is moving toward the west near 7 mph. A gradual turn toward the west-northwest is expected during the next 24 hours.
Reports from NOAA and Air Force Reserve hurricane hunter aircraft indicate maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph...with higher gusts. Katrina is a category three hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours...and Katrina could become a category four hurricane later tonight or Sunday.
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 45 miles... 75 km... from the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 160 miles...260 km. NOAA buoy 42003 located northwest of the center recently reported sustained winds of 46 mph with a gust to 58 mph.
The latest minimum central pressure reported by the NOAA aircraft is 945 mb...27.91 inches.
Storm surge flooding along the southwestern coast of Florida should subside today.
Katrina is expected to produce additional rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches over western Cuba...and 1 to 3 inches of rainfall is expected over the Yucatan Peninsula. Heavy rains from Katrina should begin to affect the central Gulf Coast Sunday evening. Rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches...with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches...are possible across the central Gulf Coast.
Repeating the 4 PM CDT position...24.6 N... 85.6 W. Movement toward...west near 7 mph. Maximum sustained winds...115 mph. Minimum central pressure... 945 mb.
An intermediate advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 7 PM CDT followed by the next complete advisory at 10 PM CDT.
Forecaster Beven
Nothing has happened today, at least so far, to make this disaster less likely. And the longer New Orleans sits in the bullseye, the more likely it is that the doomsday scenario will occur. Where the Saints play will be the least of our concerns.
Didn't they evacuate people into that stadium once last year when a hurricane was threatening? Or am I dreaming? LOL.