I hear you, and the majority of Louisiana is looking at the dirty side of the storm this time.
Here's a link to a pic of water vapor. Dry stuff is in orange:
http://www.easternuswx.com/bb/uploads/post-2603-1127398463.jpg
The air to the west of the storm is drier today. I am praying that Rita peaked yesterday, and the drier air and the eyewall cycling will weaken her...
Check this out - This NASA link provides a Powerpoint presentation of the Impact of a Category 4 Storm on the Galveston Study Area!
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=18144
Dirty side of the storm, definitely, but if I was in NO and had to take one, landfall to the west is their only chance of surviving it now.
Gotta laugh when I see the reporters talking about how three inches of rain could breach the levees again. With the possible exception of downtown New Orleans, those levees won't be significantly breached for years, because large sections of them no longer exist.
Back to the grind...I'll try to check in this evening.
