FAST FACTS AT 7 PM CDT
LOCATION: 26.9/87.7 or 175 SSE of the Mouth of the Mississippi River
MOVEMENT: NW 17 (speed should slowly decrease)
TOP WINDS: 115 MPH (Category 3)
CENTRAL PRESSURE: 952 mb, down 5 mb since last fix
WARNINGS
Hurricane warning continues from Cameron LA to the Alabama/Florida border.
STORM SURGE
10-14 feet east of center.
RAINFALL
6-12 inches of rain will be common.
TORNADOES
Likely in eastern semicircle out about 200 miles. A tornado warning was just issued for Lafourche, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard and St. Charles Parishes south of New Orleans. Part of a big feeder band moving across Southeast Louisiana. Winds just gusted to 47 mph at Lakefront Airport. The dark and threatening skies, heavy rain and high winds are hitting downtown New Orleans right now.
EYE ON RADAR
I believe the eye of Gustav is now visible from the New Orleans radar some 245 miles southeast of the City. The eye will be under constant surveillance by the radar now.
7 PM OBSERVATIONS
N.O. INTL ARPT CLOUDY…84F…NE12…29.76F
N.O. LAKEFRONT CLOUDY…84F…E38 G47…29.78R SQUALL
SLIDELL CLOUDY…83FE8G17…29.80R
BELLE CHASSE…CLOUDY…84F…N6G16…29.76F
BOOTHVILLE…FAIR…84F…NE16G32…29.70F
COUPLE OF NOTES
*Contraflow lifted on I-55 and I-59.
*New Orleans traffic cams show no cars at all.
