ATL GUSTAV: Tropical Depression - Discussion

[shah8]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Gustav

Wikipedia is saying total damage in the United states is 18 billion. I don't believe it...I will wait for this to be confirmed. Highly doubt this beat Ivan, Charley, Wilma, Dennis.

This is from some group that is saying this. Wait for the offical est.

That apparently came off of a Bloomberg article sometimes today--it has been removed.

Not surprised it has been removed, the authorities have been much more cagey about industrial damage than they were in 2005 and 2004.

[Enzo Aquarius]

Also, think about the amount loss on tourism and evacuation efforts. The tourism wouldn't be a lot, but the money from the evacuation effort would be costly alone.

I wish you all a safe and pleasant night.

[Janie2006]

Good show all the way around. I'm in agreement with the sentiments expressed on the thread, so there's no need for me to add my two cents. I will say that it was a pretty close call, in my opinion. So far, it appears that the local, state and federal responses before and during Gustav were on target. Personally, these things are mentally exhausting for me.

That being said, good night all, S2kers in the path of TS Gustav stay safe, and hopefully it won't be long before Bones makes his famous comment.

[Annie Oakley]

Just want to add that I think people from Louisiana must be among the most hardy and brave souls in the world considering what they go through with hurricanes.You all handled Gustav with grace under fire and I am at ease knowing the damage and loss of life was not as bad as it could have been. However, I was very sad also to learn of trees falling and killing people and one lady in a car wreck while evacuating. Prayers continue for all.......

[Chacor]

Down to a tropical depression, even though its pressure has not risen with the wind falls. Still 985 mbar in the last NHC warning (HPC takes over in 6 hours).

[jimguru]

Just want to add that I think people from Louisiana must be among the most hardy and brave souls in the world considering what they go through with hurricanes.You all handled Gustav with grace under fire and I am at ease knowing the damage and loss of life was not as bad as it could have been. However, I was very sad also to learn of trees falling and killing people and one lady in a car wreck while evacuating. Prayers continue for all.......

I want to echo this statement 100%- all of you in Louisiana are a tough bunch. We have our share of big storms and huge floods up here, but it takes a special breed to endure those 'canes. Prayers are with you all and your families.

[bob rulz]

4 deaths have been reported. The aforementioned man killed by a falling tree in Lafayette, as well as two more killed by falling trees in Baton Rouge, and 1 dead in an accident in New Orleans.

There's also 4 indirect deaths after 4 Gustav evacuees were killed in a car accident in Georgia. This is why I personally only count direct deaths in the death toll, although it is very tragic.

[Category 5]

Despite these 4 deaths, the U.S got extremely lucky, for several reasons.

1. It never restrengthened, it continued weakening.

2. The Hurricane force wind field stayed small.

3. It went far enough from NOLA

4. The Evacuations went much better this time

5. The levee held

6. THE NHC's CONE WAS ALMOST DEAD ON!!!!!!

This could've easily been another Betsy, time to count our blessings, and the lessons we've learned. Early evacuations work.

And also, time to reinforce the levees, no excuses.

[Eddy Gurge]

6. THE NHC's CONE WAS ALMOST DEAD ON!!!!!!

Got to give them credit for that one. They did quite a good job on this one.

[Lowpressure]

6. THE NHC's CONE WAS ALMOST DEAD ON!!!!!!

Got to give them credit for that one. They did quite a good job on this one.

Agreed, but it was a very straight forward forecast, not too difficult to predict at all. The intensity was the difficult aspect.

[HURAKAN]

It was a close call but the levees survived Gustav's assault. Still, it showed how vulnerable New Orleans still is and until the levees are raised to a much higher level, the city remains extremely vulnerable to flooding. I hope people don't feel complacent that the levees held and don't continue to push for further reemforcements. The city may have won a battle, but Nature is still winning the war.

[crazycajuncane]

Gustav is now bringing some flooding rain. There is a line from Baton Rouge all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. The after rain effects may be the one - two punch.

[CrazyC83]

Good riddance Gustav! Goodbye forever! This will be for you -

Hopefully your son won't be as bad in 2014!

[Weatherfreak000]

No worries there....Gustav is a guaranteed Retiree.

[HURAKAN]

No worries there....Gustav is a guaranteed Retiree.

Wikipedia has an estimate of 18 billion dollars in damage in the US. Retirement is a guarantee.

[CrazyC83]

No worries there....Gustav is a guaranteed Retiree.

Wikipedia has an estimate of 18 billion dollars in damage in the US. Retirement is a guarantee.

That $18B is probably a high estimate (it is based on $9B insured damage) but that is based on insurers. It is something like $2B to oil rigs alone. I'd expect it to be close to $10 billion at least.

First name this season (of likely several) that appears headed for the dustbin. I don't think Dolly or Fay will be retired.

[funster]

Gustav was a very bad hurricane for parts of Louisiana so the $18 billion doesn't seem high to me. The great news though is that there was no catastrophic flooding in New Orleans. Maybe now they will get those levees and the wetlands built up to offer great protection.

[GoneBabyGone]

(tornado?)

Doubt it. Saturate the earth a little bit and those big oak trees topple with ridiculous ease.

One of those skinnier trees that often grow out of a tiny square in the center of concrete was also uprooted - and big slabs of concrete came with it.

I knew the wind was bad, I just didn't think it was high enough to do some of that.

[bob rulz]

Gustav was a very bad hurricane for parts of Louisiana so the $18 billion doesn't seem high to me. The great news though is that there was no catastrophic flooding in New Orleans. Maybe now they will get those levees and the wetlands built up to offer great protection.

Yes there was certainly damage but $18 billion is a LOT of damage.

Regardless I'd give this maybe a 75-80% chance of being retired because of its damage and the deaths caused in Haiti.

[shah8]

Dude, what is with you people and sanctimony for those poor, poor, people in Haiti? For the love of god, give it a rest! Expresssions of sympathy is great and humane, but we should always remember that these are people with thoughts, lives, and agency of their own. They are poor, and sometimes desperate, but they are not completely helpless--not to survive, and not even to dream of better things. The kind of expressions repeatedly seen here, is so much why the dignity of many poor people is offended at the thought of "charity". So much of "charity" is simply thinly disguised "But for the Grace of God go I, that I am not like you".


If you want to have sympathy, maybe have some for the people in Cuba! They took the worst brunt of the storm. How about the people in the Caymans? Gustov is not going to get retired because of what happened in Haiti. Gustov is going to get retired for Cuba and the US.

Speaking of Cuba...I cannot help but be utterly impressed with the capability of their emergency services. A near category 5 storm smacks heavily populated areas? Not a single soul (maybe a hobo went over the water, but whatever) dies! Myanmar can't claim that. Neither can China or the Phillipines. Mexico certainly has never done better, and they have a pretty decent group themselves. Cuba is apparently the Michael Jordans of this kind of response.