Rita was...

[mettski]

a pussycat compared to Katrina. Problem is, a lot of people evac'd for nothing and will probably ride out the next one. Not even a storm surge, whats all that about ? NHC got it so wrong.

[huricanwatcher]

where are you getting that there wasnt a storm surge... dont assume that its way too early....

[VonBek_wx]

Are you kidding...we haven't heard from Cameron or other coastal comunities on the east side of the storm. Too early for these statements yet.

[mettski]

where are you getting that there wasnt a storm surge... dont assume that its way too early....

on cnn: next to a river where they were expecting 10-15ft. was about 1ft.

[scostorms]

I was thinking the same for everyone who left the Houston Metro, my first thought after she missed Houston was... Everyone will complain, and will probably ride out the next hurricane because they don't think the NHC can get anything right.

[huricanwatcher]

where are you getting that there wasnt a storm surge... dont assume that its way too early....

on cnn: next to a river where they were expecting 10-15ft. was about 1ft.

that was a RIVER not the coast......

[VonBek_wx]

CNN was mostly on the west side of the storm. Noone was reporting from Cameron and other eastern side coastal towns.

[Opal storm]

He lives in New York,obviously he knows nothing about how destructive these storms can be.

[huricanwatcher]

He lives in New York,obviously he knows nothing about how destructive these storms can be.

now... ya cant really justify that... Im a yankee too.... (dont say a word!!!)

[mvtrucking]

Way too soon to assume that. Cameron got hammered.From the looks of the storm from Lk Charles, I'm afraid Cameron is no more. I pray that is not the case but?

[mettski]

ok, ok. i take it back.

[BayouVenteux]

a pussycat compared to Katrina. Problem is, a lot of people evac'd for nothing and will probably ride out the next one. Not even a storm surge, whats all that about ? NHC got it so wrong.

No storm surge? Tell that to the people in Jefferson County TX, Cameron, Vermillion, Iberia, St. Mary, Terrebonne, LaFourche, and yes, even Jefferson, Orleans, and St.Bernard Parishes dear poster.

Perhaps you're disappointed this morning because you didn't get to see new catastrophic images on CNN or Fox News of levelled houses and casino barges over highways, but trust me, there is Gulf water pushed far inland that will rival Hurricane Audrey in SW Louisiana, there's overtopped/breached levees and flooded inlets and bayous across the breadth of coastal Louisiana for 150 miles or more, and there are homes and livelihoods disrupted or possibly destroyed that have yet to be revealed until the winds die down.

[wxmann_91]

MSNBC just said that many people in southern LA (near the coast) are trapped in their homes and need rescuing.

As for the evac. thing, I was afraid that such a mass exodus this time will cause complacency (sp?) next time. Perhaps they overdid it this time.

[Deb321]

ok, ok. i take it back.

I heard on Fox news one of the casinos in Lake Charles I think the Isle of Capri was split in half, it had not been confirmed yet since no one could get to it yet and I really doubt the wind did that damage but probably surge.

Also heard a family of seven had to be rescued because their house floated right off of the foundation

[Deb321]

MSNBC just said that many people in southern LA (near the coast) are trapped in their homes and need rescuing.

As for the evac. thing, I was afraid that such a mass exodus this time will cause complacency (sp?) next time. Perhaps they overdid it this time.

Maybe you are right but they should be grateful they were spared. I'm sure they will have some damage and personally I would rather evacuate and come home and find I have no damage than the alternative.None of us know when the next storm could be a devastating storm for us. I know I will leave the next time and not sit one out. I was in 2, direct hits last year and that was enough for me. The after was almost as bad as the storm without air conditioning and power.

[Scorpion]

It was an 897 mb storm. I would be pretty scared if I were on the coast. That is why so many evacd.

[vbhoutex]

The evac that we had in the Houston area was necessary. You can't leave hundreds of thousands of people in harms way waiting to see if the storm is actually going to hit you head on. It takes way to long to evac the surge prone areas to wait. It is a damned if you do damned if you don't scenario. If the public officials had not ordered the evacs and Rita had hit the Houston area head on or to our West a little heads would be rolling for not doing the right thing. The biggest problem with the evacs was that at least half of those who left were not in mandatory evac areas. Unfortunately you can't tell people that they can't leave if they want to. IMO, Houston area public officials did a great job of handling the evacuation and responding to problems as they arose.

[Deb321]

The evac that we had in the Houston area was necessary. You can't leave hundreds of thousands of people in harms way waiting to see if the storm is actually going to hit you head on. It takes way to long to evac the surge prone areas to wait. It is a damned if you do damned if you don't scenario. If the public officials had not ordered the evacs and Rita had hit the Houston area head on or to our West a little heads would be rolling for not doing the right thing. The biggest problem with the evacs was that at least half of those who left were not in mandatory evac areas. Unfortunately you can't tell people that they can't leave if they want to. IMO, Houston area public officials did a great job of handling the evacuation and responding to problems as they arose.

I agree 100% vb I think they did a great job. With these storms you never know what surprises they will pull. It is better to be safe.

[cycloneye]

The evac that we had in the Houston area was necessary. You can't leave hundreds of thousands of people in harms way waiting to see if the storm is actually going to hit you head on. It takes way to long to evac the surge prone areas to wait. It is a damned if you do damned if you don't scenario. If the public officials had not ordered the evacs and Rita had hit the Houston area head on or to our West a little heads would be rolling for not doing the right thing. The biggest problem with the evacs was that at least half of those who left were not in mandatory evac areas. Unfortunately you can't tell people that they can't leave if they want to. IMO, Houston area public officials did a great job of handling the evacuation and responding to problems as they arose.

Agree with that statement David.It is better to be safe and not be sorry later.It was the right thing to do as this cane was a strong cat 5 at one point and by that time it was not clear what exact track it would take.The only thing I saw that was not right was to not open all the lanes one way earlier to let the traffic move more quicker.

[goodlife]

WAAAAY over here on the northshore of New Orleans we had about a 7 ft. storm surge.....Hwy 22 between mandeville and madisonville is underwater. The lakefront here in mandeville is underwater yet again. And we're 200+ miles from where the storm made landfall. Lower Terrebonne is underwater...all of the bayous have flooded. Places that have never flooded before are underwater...again...a couple hundred miles from where the storm made landfall...
obviously the further west you go, the worse it will be.