New Orleans

[mmcirvin]

By this time tomorrow, the city of New Orleans may be gone. I'm sorry I never visited. If you live there, I hope you're getting out.

Comments

[sunburn.livejournal.com]

I visited my Dad today-- he grew up in Metarie and remembers the last major hurricane to hit New Orleans, which was 40 years ago. (Hurricane Betsy, which was Force 3 as it passed over NO.) He was 18 and recalls driving through the streets (and seeing odd little bits of localized damage to houses-- shingles and such torn off here and there, while other houses are untouched. His childhood home, where my grandmother still lives (and who is no doubt driving one of her daughters or grandkids up the wall right now with relentless proclamations of worry, as they have evacuated) is on a formation called Metairie ridge, and there are loads of drainage canals that run through her neighborhood, including one behidn her back yard. However, my dad says, Metairie Ridge puts Metaire above sea-level, but certainly not more than about 3-5 feet above it. He said that he'd never seen so much rain, and every drop that falls on the city has to be pumped out, period. (Hence the lovely tombs.)

I also asked him why he supposes that the city's in the state it's in, and he said that while it has always been below sea level, he figures it's the dredging of the shipping lanes in the river, and the establishment of an artificial shoreline, that is pretty much levied with normal or not-much-above-normal river pressures in mind.

Dad also mentioned there's a worst-cast scenario where a powerful hurricane can pass just east(?) of the city and the hurricane's cyclonic action can cause a storm surge on the lake, throwing brackish water all over Metairie, as if the seawater in NO wouldn't be enough. I didn't get far enough in your linked article to see if that was mentioned. But. Ugh.

If the city *is* still around next week or soon thereafter, take this as a stimulus to get down there. Our amphibian pal is an excellent host and guide, and there's plenty to enjoy even (especially?) if your goal isn't drunkenness or debauchery.

P.S. Is it wrong of me to want this thing to hit Galveston instead?