The winds are sustained at easily 45 mph, with some gusts considerably higher. The tropical system is interestingly different from a regular storm. The associated rainfall is torrential In addition to the increased wind and rain, the TS moves through with defined bands, the intensity of the storm increases and decreases with a certain rhythm.
Additionally, its coming on the heels of a week of regular, daily rain. So, the ground is saturated already and we're getting many inches here in just a shortwhile. Some of the weather forums and news sites are reporting pretty serious flooding, particularly just south and east of the city. I'm sure it'll get worse and as the the night wears on. It's times like these when I ask why I choose to live in a bucket below sea level. New Orleans' topography definitely does not lend itself to Tropical Storms or Hurricanes.
Fortunately, the storm surge is only a few feet, and I tied up appropriately this afternoon. I have the boat in a fairly well protected harbor:
While it is obviously susceptible to wind and water level (the docks here aren't floating (yet!), there is generally very little wave action. This prompted my belief in the superiority of harbors over moorings - the subject of an earlier post and debate by some of you moored Mainers.
Well, I'll guess I'll have to wait until first light to see the boat. This will definitely be an anxious 5 hours!
