Hurricane Gustav Update #8

Gustav has come ashore near Cocodrie. As a few brave forecasters predicted last night, it's weakened to a Category 2 storm, which is wonderfully good news for those of us further inland - although the coast is still going to get pounded as hard as ever, of course. What the weakening means is that by the time Gustav gets 50-100 miles from the coast, his winds will have dropped below hurricane strength. We're still going to suffer lots of power outages from downed tree limbs, etc., but the really bad damage is likely to be significantly reduced inland.

Here, just north of Alexandria, the wind has picked up to a strong breeze. The first fringes of Gustav are now overhead, as shown on New Orleans radar. The portion circled in red is where I am. (Click the picture for a larger view.)




The latest projections of Gustav's path show a further drift to the Westward, putting his eye about 80-90 miles from me at its closest approach.




We've got light rain at the moment, but that's going to intensify very soon as the rain bands reach us with greater force. I expect we'll have power for the next two to three hours, but after that it's not guaranteed, as the winds will start breaking off branches and knocking down power lines. I expect to be without power for at least two to three days after Gustav's passage, unless he weakens even more dramatically.

I'll post another update in an hour or so.

Peter