That's not just hot air!

I was pretty impressed this morning to hear that most of New Orleans has been evacuated -- that's a serious number of folks. I can't imagine packing up family, pets, the objects or records you'd be most crushed to lose, etc. and clearing out to wait for the news of whether you still have a home. Anyway, the seriousness of this National Weather Service prediction for the breadth and severity of expected distruction is a real mind-blower!

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL FAILURE. ...

Best wishes to all those beginning the vigil . . .

(via Medley)

Update: actually, Medley has been tracking the storm news while I was oblivious. See her additional/previous reports on the storm path and previous models of a hurricane hitting New Orleans, which was classed with a California earthquake disaster or terror strike on New York. eep.

Update 2: the brunt of the storm missed New Orleans and hit farther east, spreading the damage along the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts.