perhaps I don't understand the topology of NO - the wall of water from the sea, is pushed ashore in the eastern part of the eye, where the winds blow south to north. the western part of the eye has north to south winds, that pushes water from the bay south. to add to that, getting hit by the eastern part of the eye gives you the worst winds.
the ones that have hit me on long island (not cat 5s mind you), work this way. so long as we were west of the eye, we were fine, and I live right at the atlantic.
What is going on with the Fox info babes...they seem to have the giggles.
With a storm surge of 25 ~ 30 ft (plus all the rain).... They're screwed.
The rain fills Lake Ponchatrain which is north of the city. Then the counterclock wise winds (from the north) push the surge into the city, south of the lake. Add rising water levels from the sea and the Mississippi river, two other of the sources of water, and U have a catastrophie. Add landfall at high tide, and it is doom.
As I understand it, New Orleans sits mostly at or below sea level south of Lake Ponchartrain, between Lake Ponchartrain and the Mississippi River. If the eye comes ashore east of NO, the north-to-south winds will push the lake water over the levees and into New Orleans. The winds will be less, but the flooding may be greater.
I believe the true "nightmare scenario" was a hurricane passing close enough to New Orleans to push water from the sea onto land, then sort of "spin" it over into Lake Ponchartrain, *then* push the extra water into New Orleans. That would require the eye to pass very close to, but just east of, the city. Which might happen...it's too soon to tell.
The other thing to remember is that if the eye passes a little ways east of NO, that means that Biloxi, Pass Christian, Biloxi, Mobile, and other places in Mississippi and Alabama will get the worst of the wind and storm surge. We've all been rightfully worried about the Crescent City, but if the track forecasts are right, the coast in Mississippi and Alabama is going to be scoured clean.
}:-)4
That is Lake Pontchartrain on the north. A hurricane spins counterclockwise. If the hurricane is to the west, it will push the lake water toward the upper left corner of the map, away from New Orleans. If the hurricane is to the east, it will push the lake water toward the lower right corner, right over New Orleans.