Landfall Is Nigh

Gustav hits southern Louisiana Monday morning. Currently it’s a Category 3 storm (similar to Katrina) and heading towards Grand Isle, LA, just west of the Mississippi River inlet. After Gustav comes ashore it should continue on the same vector for awhile, crossing the state of Louisiana. Thus, the NOGAPS model suggests heavy rain may ultimately fall as far west and north as Oklahoma City.

There was this interesting article in the New York Times Magazine a year ago regarding hurricanes and insurance that provided an interesting fact: by happenstance and luck, no hurricane has yet been recorded to cross the Georgia coastline.

Hurricane Hanna might break that record. The NOGAPS model currently suggests a landfall at Jacksonville, FL on Thursday night. The GFS model suggests landfall at Charleston, SC on Friday morning. The Georgia coastline is right in-between, and quite vulnerable.

Tropical depression 97L is picking up strength in the eastern Atlantic and slowly making its way west.