NEW ORLEANS, Aug 30 (Reuters) - City officials will order a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans starting early on Sunday if Hurricane Gustav holds to its current course, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said on Saturday."If it continues on its current path we will start the mandatory evacuation process first thing in the morning at 8 a.m. (1300 GMT)," Nagin told reporters at City Hall. "We will make the call for the definitive mandatory evacuation."
Hurricane Gustav strengthened into a dangerous Category 4 storm on Saturday with winds of 145 mph (230 kph) as it surged toward western Cuba, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
From the NHC Forecast Diuscussion (the ALL CAPS is theirs, not mine)
THE FORECAST NOW CALLS FOR A PEAK AT [160 MPH]Â…CATEGORY FIVE INTENSITYÂ…OVER THE SOUTHERN GULF WHERE OCEAN HEAT CONTENT WILL STILL BE HIGH. COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 18 TO 23 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES
INTERESTS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE NORTHERN GULF COAST SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF GUSTAV. A HURRICANE WATCH COULD BE ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN GULF COAST LATER TODAY.
Note: the above is for Cuba today. Storm track as of this post time have Gustav hitting Central Louisiana's gulf coast, which is well west of New Orleans (meaning not as bad as Katrina in NO but worse elsewhere). It may be a Cat 5 depending on how the loop current affects it. Cuba is going to take it in the shorts first though.
