New Orleans Currently on the Wrong Side of Gustav

Current computer models for Gustav landfall put it on track to hit Central Louisiana, west of New Orleans as a Category 3 Hurricane on Tuesday:

Such a strong storm is likely to be accompanied by significant storm surge to the east of its central area, and its surge could be higher than that caused by a 115 mph storm, as Gustav is expected to have winds near 130 mph, Category 4 strength, 12 hours before landfall.

The 4 a.m. forecast would have Gustav move slowly west northwest over New Iberia after its initial landfall, taking a full day to reach Lake Charles, still as a Category 2 hurricane with winds of close to 100 mph. Such a slow passage would likely bring intense rainfall to most of south Louisiana.

Tuesday is also interestingly enough the night that the Republicans in Minneapolis are going to be promoting "reform." The Bush Administration's emergency response and Homeland Security are in need of some reform, given their pants-down posture during and after Hurricane Katrina's strike on New Orleans 3 years ago today.

That we might have creole and cajun communities underwater in Louisiana while Republicans are frolicking under the cover of "reform" many miles away would be typical of the last 8 years.