New Orleans has a strong community of local media to watch the storm and tell the story. Three years ago, the Times-Picayune and WWL covered Katrina from the front lines. Both are very good resources for the latest ground truth about Gustav. The live and local radio coverage from the Entercom cluster has been very interesting so far. They will be living and working together in downtown New Orleans for at least the next few days.

The National Hurricane Center has the very latest projections, graphics and maps. They also have information on Hanna, the next storm heading toward the Atlantic coast. A third tropical depression is forming and may hit the Caribbean within the next week.

FEMA is quick to provide photographs of administrators. In the dapper tradition of the agency, the site even points out the color of their neckties. It is a good thing that folks do not go to FEMA for solid up-to-date information. In addition to pictures of people talking about Gustav, there are hyperlinks to news releases talking about Gustav and insurance.

Have no fear, private enterprise and charity will always fill the gap. Here is a clearing house of information brought to you by a popular regional supermarket, Publix. Thank heavens we can always count on American Red Cross to show up even when our government does not.

On the WWL Hurricane Network, Deke Bellavia has been rounding up listeners all evening. So far, the state of Mississippi has been the biggest bottleneck for evacuees. One WWL caller, "Tom from Gretna" pleaded for "Barney Fife to figure it out." It took an hour for his family to get out of Louisiana on I-59, but they have spent the last seven hours to get 25 miles into Mississippi. All the exits are blocked and other highways are closed to anyone who is not local. The interstate is a slowly creeping parking lot.

Another caller confirmed that everything was brought to a standstill in a tiny town called, Poplarville. He spent seven hours traveling 27 miles into Mississippi only to find the highway interchanges all closed and the contraflow reversed for locals. Back in NOLA, there is a tornado watch that will lift just in time for Gustav to make landfall tomorrow morning.

Tommy Tucker has joined Deke in the booth at WWL. The latest callers are still stuck in traffic in Mississippi. A woman described a big row of MSDOT trucks blocking the highway. Most folks stuck on the road right now left the Crescent City early this afternoon. I-59 has been a real disaster for traffic. One caller took 19 hours to get to Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The city is under a curfew. All of New Orleans was told to evacuate yesterday and some estimate that 95% of the residents have left. The only arrests have been minor and alcohol related and the area is largely deserted. Mayor Ray Nagin hopes that the levees will hold, the damage will be light and the city can rebuild. One unidentified Belle Chasse official predicted up to eight feet of storm surge. A city councilman would not go on the record in a phonecall moments ago or share what he might know about potential damage.

The local chapter of the Red Cross has shelters set up all along the Gulf Coast including greater New Orleans. According to their spokesperson, homeless people have been evacuated as well. Thousands of volunteers are already working with residents of the region and are prepared to provide services. They try to keep families in touch and encouraged evacuees to register on-line.

A father called in to beg his sun to evacuate. A resident in Missouri offered a local Red Cross shelter near Branson for folks who need a spot. I bet they could catch a show too. Another caller worried about how much rain might fall and what it might do to Lake Pontchartrain. The storm surge is not expected to be a big as Katrina and sandbagging has been called off for the evening.

The pump operators will have to leave their stations and go to their safe rooms when the winds reach 75 mph. According to Jefferson Parrish officials, the "Achilles Heel" is the Harvey Canal where the floodwall is only six to eight feet tall. With landfall expected in Terrebonne Bay, the West Bank could potentially take more surge than it did in Katrina and Rita. Locals have been building temporary levees where the Corps of Engineers have not yet begun construction.

The Sheriff of St. Bernard Parish called in to WWL and estimates that 500 people are left in his jurisdiction. His office has only made two arrests in the last 40 hours. He believes that virtually all of the stragglers are fishermen and stubborn locals. He might be right, because anyone caught looting in the region will be sent to Angola Prison. He said "we'll be in no hurry to process 'em" once they are in the pokey.

Jay Vice is in the WWL newsroom tonight and no doubt brought a sleeping bag and some clothes. The hurricane is already pushing a great deal of rain into the area and the wind gusts are consistently above 20 miles an hour. In Plaquemines, tornado watches were in effect for a few hours. Officials are estimating that only 10,000 people are left in the entire city of New Orleans. 1,500 National Guard troops and local police are patrolling to enforce curfew.

An older woman caller said that she is not leaving, but she swore that she will move back to Virginia if the storm takes her house. One fellow that was staying in the city was really steadfast in his desire to be there until Gustav passes. He just finished rebuilding his home and cannot bring himself to leave again.

A woman was sent all the way to Shreveport by the state 211 hotline. When she got there, she was told that only bussed evacuees would have a place to stay. She could not find a place for her husband, two children and dogs. They have spent $140 on gas so far, the bill money is gone and her family is heading back to New Iberia to hunker down.

The locals have worked to improve private levees, but the miles of walls built by ConocoPhillips are only two and a half feet in many places. Even with the last minute efforts continuing through the night to get the walls to eight feet, the Plaquemines Parish is likely to have breeches and overtopping in that area.

Thank you.

I've been reading your postings all day, and watching the sat pics at the Hurricane Center.

After Andrew, I never want to be in the path of a hurricane again. I'll take our volcano over that, any day.

I hope Gustav becomes more disorganized as it heads for land, and send prayers for those in the path.

A woman called who is stuck on I-59 in traffic. She and her family have been there for 14 hours trying to get to Meridian. She said that the Mississippi police are still lining the road and not allowing anyone to get off of the freeway.

Another fellow worked his way around the Mississippi authorities, took an alternate route and managed to get to Macon, Georgia in 13 hours. A car accident kept the police from blocking a ramp and he made it through. He said that he was lucky to have made such good time.

For much of the past two days, folks have been bumper to bumper on that stretch of road, having to relieve themselves in the bushes and with no sources of fuel or water. Fuel tankers are now working their way along the route helping cars that were stranded when they ran out of gas.

The story is that all of this traffic problem began early in the morning on the 30th with the Mobile tunnel in Alabama. With all of the official buck passing over the past day for the mess on I-59, one wonders if the Mississippi coordinators were distracted today by something like a high profile partisan news conference in Jackson.

Back in NOLA, a caller in Marrero was left stranded when his family took off without him. According to the authorities, Belle Chasse still has thousands of residents who have chosen to stay. The storm is expected to make landfall in the next two and a half hours.

Wind gusts have increased to over forty miles an hour throughout the region and power outages are being reported. If Gustav tracks much further west, many homes may be spared. If it tracks much further east, the storm could cause a great deal of flood damage throughout the greater New Orleans area. The potential for tornadoes is still a big factor in this storm.

You're welcome EN. I figured that I was listening anyway, so I might as well pass a few tidbits along from the WWL coverage. I am praying for them too.

A truck driver contracted to bring bottled water to the region, passed miles of bumper to bumper traffic in Mississippi between Birmingham and Meridian on I-59. He was surprised at how bad it still was this early in the morning.

Another fellow who was stuck on I-59 earlier in the day saw people whipping down the shoulders and median. One car almost hit a kid taking a pee. He described a couple of road rage incidents as well. It took him over three hours to get from Laurel to Meridian.

Many of the callers described road blocks at interchanges and portions where four lanes were funneled down to one. There was a great deal of police presence, but little traffic control. A recurring theme was watching a bunch of officers blocking ramps or sitting together jawing. By and large, they were paying little mind to the sea of slowly seething humanity rolling past.

One of the Mississippi officials deeply involved in the 1-59 mess is named, believe it or not, Sharpie Smith. The recent Silver Ant Award winner was in charge of designing the contraflow and evacuation planning for Mississippi. He did not deal well with the tired and angry WWL callers during his interview. (Maybe he would be happier if he won a Silver Sow Award.)

"Lance" used his cellphone and is riding it out on the water. His home is in the Lake Boeuf Parish, but he will be spending the night and probably tomorrow in a hundred foot long towboat on the Mississippi River.

A caller claimed that a local hospital administrator threatened to punish nurses who evacuate with their families rather than stay and work.

The landfall is still expected in Terrebonne Parish. The winds might push more of the Gulf of Mexico into Barataria Bay adding to the storm surge. The West Bank could be affected much more than it was during Katrina. The Harvey Canal survived Rita by just inches and local leaders are hoping it makes it through Gustav. As the storm moves through later tomorrow, Baton Rouge could see winds over 90 mph.

The wind is picking up in St. Tammany to the north, one of the few parishes without a curfew. Some folks are still evacuating the area. Law enforcement is patrolling and stopping everyone on the street, but they are allowing people to travel from their homes to the freeway.

Workers are frantically building a temporary levee across State Highway 23 near Belle Chasse to try and save the parish. The water was already at the top of levees further south earlier in the evening.

One caller that is staying put criticized the Mayor and others for being so doom and gloom in their description of the storm. The idea, of course, was to scare the heck out of people and get them out of town, but he aint leaving.

Two brothers and their mom are riding out the night in their car in Natchitoches. At first light, they will have to move to get out of the path of the storm and try to find a place to stay further north.

Dave Cohen is a WWL reporter embedded with the Jefferson Parish Emergency Operations Center. He just reported that the winds were shifting violently outside of their headquarters. The eye is just about an hour off of the coast. Heavy rain bands have already begun to hit Grand Isle and Lafitte.

The edge of Gustav is just beginning to reach the region with a very heavy sideways downpour. Wind has increased to a steady 20 mph with gusts locally to almost 40 miles per hour. Lake Pontchartrain is being churned up with waves topping the seawall. Lake Borgne is also being pushed around by the wind. Another new tornado warning has been issued for St. Bernard parish after a funnel cloud was spotted on radar over the Biloxi Marsh.

Gusts of up to 90 mph have been reported just offshore and by unmanned stations on Grand Isle. A very violent thunderstorm is racing through New Orleans with wind gusts up to 70 mph. The Governor has called for another 16,000 National Guard troops from the surrounding states to help control flooding.

A 10 to 14 feet storm surge is expected at landfall later this morning with a surge of 8 to 10 feet in the greater New Orleans area. Gustav is a very wet system with the potential for a great deal of rain. 10 to 15 inches are possible. The eye wall could generate more violent weather like tornadoes as it heads inland toward Texas.

The weather situation is rapidly deteriorating south of the city. The Breton Sound is already rising with the leading edge of Gustav and the winds have increased quite a bit over the last hour. Boothville is reporting gusts over 70 miles an hour. Yet another tornado warning has been issued for the Plaquemines Parish where authorities estimate perhaps 800 people have stayed behind.

An old timer, "Barry" called in this morning. He has never left for a storm. He lost his home in Katrina, lost his trailer in Rita, but he has another house now and is staying put. "Virgil" called in from a vessel in Port Fourchon and reported winds of 98 mph. Another fellow is riding out the storm on a 145 footer in the Inter-Coastal Waterway.

The storm chasing aircraft report that the eyewall is still generating sustained winds of 115 miles an hour, but the progress north has slowed a bit. It is now just about 65 miles southeast of Port Fourchon. The faster the storm goes through, the less surge develops and the lower potential for inland flooding. If it really slows down, a worst case scenario could unfold for the coastal areas.

The police are still on the streets, but Gustav is picking up. With the curfew in effect, if someone is found off of their property, they are subject to arrest. The cops will stop patrolling when the winds reach 55 mph and go to safe havens. Gusts are already blowing around 50 miles an hour on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain and the water has risen 6 inches in Mandeville.

On a much happier note, a woman called in from Chatanooga. Her family had evacuated and was mighty grateful for a sweet old lady with a little pecan stand. They had been on the road in Mississippi for five and a half hours before they could make an exit. This sweetheart had a humble place across from a boarded up gas station and offered fresh coffee to all the weary folks who were coming off of I-59.

Garland Robinette has had his coffee and is hosting the morning shift on WWL. On the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain, the electricity is out in isolated areas and the wind is picking up.

On the south shore, "Eric" from River Ridge -- between Kenner and Metairie in Jefferson Parish -- called and explained that he and his family were staying. The power is out where he lives, but he has confidence in the pumps.

"Captain Mike" on a jackboat near Leeville has seen very heavy winds, but his gauge only goes up to 100 mph. The crane cabin on a nearby vessel came loose and was banging in the wind while he talked on the phone.

Trees in downtown New Orleans are bending sideways. The storm has picked up in Jefferson Parish even more. Winds in Belle Chasse are now gusting over 60 miles an hour and the emergency overnight levee building work has been called off.

Tornadoes have been reported in Mississippi near St. Tammany Parish. Tree damage and power outages are their biggest concerns in that area with the bulk of the storm tracking to the west.

Another batch of tornado warnings has been issued for Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. Charles. There was also a spotter report of a waterspout in Gulfport. Four big green explosions just marked transformers blowing up in Jefferson Parish.

Water is already spurting out of the manholes in downtown New Orleans. The Army Corps of Engineers has ordered the gate on the Harvey Canal closed, but decisions on the other canals are still pending. The rain from the feeder bands is blowing sideways on the West Bank. The police, rescuers and utility workers are getting off of the streets.

The pristine wetlands near Terrebonne Bay are still in the direct path. The parishes of Terrebonne and LaFourche will probably be most effected by the storm surge. Much of the last remaining pristine portions of the natural buffer zone could be badly damaged by Gustav.

"Reggie" in Houma is fine and the lights are still on, but the storm is packing a punch and headed his way. Once the winds hit around 75 miles an hour, it could potentially be that way or worse around the area for up to 24 hours.

A caller claimed that three hundred police were stationed at the Convention Center, but were not fed dinner or breakfast. She also claimed that some officers were sleeping on the floors of local hospitals.

A fellow from England -- yes, that England -- called in to express sympathy for the residents of New Orleans. He was listening on the net, watching it unfold and learning about the unique topography of the parish system. He was also praying.

Power went out in the French Quarter about a half an hour ago. Unfortunately, a week worth of trash was not picked up from the streets, so it has the potential to become projectiles and clog drains. Eden Isles is also without electricity, but the lake is not over the bulkheads. Gentilly also has no lights. All told, about 83,000 customers are already in the dark in NOLA.

The eye has just reached the outer coastal islands of Louisiana and is heading for Port Fourchand. Tide levels have risen about nine feet, but the southern parts of Plaquemines Parish are not flooding yet. A marina in St. Bernard Parish measured a gust around a hundred miles an hour. Grand Isle is already experiencing an eight foot surge.

The real test in New Orleans will be if the levees and newly constructed infrastructure holds on the West Bank. Six to twelves inches of rain are expected in the area. Some models of the storm were very scary, but so far so good. The Twin Spans in Slidell are not seeing a surge yet.

St. Tammany Parish is now under a tornado warning. They are expecting over 70 mph winds in St. Charles Parish, but right now it is a steady 40 mph. The biggest gust so far was 117 miles an hour in the far southern reaches of Plaquemines Parish at the mouth of the Mississippi River.

The full force of the storm is slamming into Port Fourchand. One of the last remaining jackboats called and reported that they lost their wind gauge after it read 126 miles an hour. Water is breaking over the docks and debris is flying all over the place.

Gustav is a borderline category 2 or 3 storm now. Winds are being clocked at a steady 110 mph as the eyewall slowly comes ashore near Cocodrie and heads up past Houma.

In Larose, power is out, wind gusts are in triple digits, sheets of tin are flying off of buildings, and the Inter-Coastal Waterway is rising. Meanwhile, to the east, officials from Plaquemines including the parish president are slowly working their way south inspecting the canals on Route 23. They are especially concerned about the thirty-one miles of non-Federal levees.

A local scientist explained that the way the Barataria Estuary works, the real surge in places like St. Charles Parish is expected early tomorrow for much of the area. Based on the tide gauge at Grand Isle, they might be able to predict how high the water will come in 24 hours or so.

Right now, the real concern is wind. On the north shore, several tornado warnings have been issued for the St. Tammany Parish around Covington and Slidell. Funnel clouds have been spotted near the Stennis Space Center, Abita Springs and Waveland. On the south shore, Marrero has no power and 77 mile an hour gusts, but not any flooding. The center of the storm passed about 80 miles south of New Orleans.

In greater NOLA, windows are blowing out, trees are coming down and the storm is carrying a whole lot of junk through the air. Two major fires are raging. One in Jefferson Parish and one in the city.

The latest news is that the water is almost up to the top of the Industrial Canal and wind churned waves have overtopped over here and there near the 9th Ward. Some ships and barges have broken loose in the canal. Questions are already being asked by Mayor Ray Nagin as to why any of these vessels were allowed there at all.

In addition to streaming the WWL radio broadcast and Channel 4 coverage, one can still view some live DOT cameras around New Orleans.

Sadly, three deaths have been reported among elderly evacuees, but so far there are no deaths or injuries due to the storm.

Karen Durham-Aguilera of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers discussed the waves that are slopping over the top of the wall of the Industrial Canal into the Lower 9th. She is the system program manager for the construction of the "1%" flood control system that is due to be completed in 2011. (Durham-Aguilera is also a resident of Beaverton, Oregon.) According to the "recent calculations" of the Corps, she says that "we are confident" in the structure of the wall.

She maintains that there are still 3 or 4 more feet of "freeboard" to the top of the wall and all of the "sloshing over" is a strictly wind related event. "We are not expecting a major inundation... We do not need to drop the levels in the canal... The area we are talking about could effect the Lower 9th and Orleans Parish... A 70 by 500 foot barge is loose near the IHNC lock and the other barge has sunk... I don't know anything else right now."

Her press conference ended abruptly, but it easily could have been a technical issue. The Coast Guard are out in the storm bravely trying to corral the 70 by 500 foot barge and two smaller vessels that are loose in the Industrial Canal. Local authorities maintain that everything is fine, the levees are holding and no flooding is happening. Still, they do acknowledge that there is some "overtopping" along the IHNC and the out of control boats might pose a risk.

Meanwhile, as the eye heads inland, the weather in Houma and the surrounding area is still pretty heavy. Buildings are being blow apart, the power is out and trees are down everywhere. Winds are steady at 90 mph with gusts over 130 mph. The water is slowly, but very steadily coming up. One fellow called and said this is "worse than Katrina" as far as wind damage. Another tried to get to Dulac, but could not get around all the debris in the road.

Thanks Littlesongs!

I'm reading through these, just catching up and appreciate it.

You're welcome Missing!

According to a Colonel with Homeland Security, the two loose ships and the barge are pinned against the Florida Avenue Wharf across from the 9th Ward. He says that the Coast Guard has the situation under control.

According to Mayor Ray Nagin, the waves continue to overtop the IHNC wall and spill across France Road. It was also reported that one of the barges may have been put in the canal as late as yesterday. Nagin plans to investigate why they were there at all.

Callers from Houma keep saying "worse that Katrina" when describing the destruction. The storm is tearing everything in their area apart. Houses and buildings are now without roofs, fences have been blown down, the trees are gone and the wind is still blowing in the triple digits.

Callers from Houma keep saying "worse that Katrina" when describing the destruction. The storm is tearing everything apart. Houses and buildings are now without roofs, fences have been torn down, trees are gone and the wind is still blowing in the triple digits.


Yet Foxnews, CNN and The Weather Channel is saying that Katrina was lots worse.

I'll add my thanks too LS.

Here's an interesting link if you're not dialup;

http://www.maroonspoon.com/wx/gustav.html

Thanks Amus!

Yet Foxnews, CNN and The Weather Channel is saying that Katrina was lots worse.

Inthemiddle, at least they are finally remembering that Katrina happened this week three short years ago.

This is why live and local radio is so powerful as a communication medium.

Yeppers

From an individual's perspective, I guess that would depend on your location during both storms.

Some areas may or may not be affected as severely, depending on the track the storm takes.

News services are comparing characteristics and damage.

I agree that it is all about perspective in a big storm. One could say that the area being hit in Terrebonne Parish was largely spared this kind of destruction by Katrina and Rita. It makes sense that Houma and other places nearby are experiencing Gustav as the worst weather in memory for their community.

A reporter on the scene in NOLA said that water is overtopping the wall of the Industrial Canal in one of the "two most vulnerable spots" according to the Corps. One vessel is still loose in the IHNC. Reports are also coming in that flooding is covering the road on the Chalmette side of the Green Bridge, but the police and journalists are conflicting in their appraisal of the situation.

Callers from Houma still describe the scene in vivid colors. One woman saw branches "stabbed" through the hood and windshield of a car next door. She also saw a gas station that "just blew away" early on. Another fellow said that all the oak, pine and sycamore trees came down in the first big winds. The power went down at 6:30 in the morning and has not come back.

A fellow in Old Mandeville says that Lake Pontchartrain is rising and the wind is tossing the boats around. A councilman from the same area says the wind is coming from the north, but curiously the waves are still crashing in from the east and splashing over the wall. He also said that a tree just hit the house belonging to the mayor.

You are all welcome! A big tip of the hat to the Entercom cluster in NOLA and my coffeemaker.

Governor Bobby Jindahl has yet another story about the loose boats in the IHNC. He said that the two vessels in the canal were scrap from the Navy, but he would not confirm the Army Corps assertion that there was a "70 by 500 foot barge" loose or that anything sank.

He did, however, have a brilliant moment worthy of Senator Byron Dorgan. In a flash of rare logic, he asked the President to open the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to make sure that his state has enough fuel for the rescue and cleanup. In his lengthy speech, he never once brought up all the folks who suffered on I-59, nor did he mention talking to the Governor of Mississippi about contraflow.

The Industrial Canal is already overtopping with waves and could potentially rise even further. Minor flooding is beginning in Bay St. Louis. Most of the greater NOLA area is predicted to get between 6 to 9 feet of rising water in the surge. Coastal areas could easily see 10 or more feet.

The water is rising and overtopping the road along Highway 90 and Route 433 by Lake Pontchartrain. Areas down in Plaquemines Parish have no water or power and some sustained pretty heavy damage. There are steady winds in the 60s and 70s all over the area. On a good note, the water level in the Harvey Canal was steadily going down, but on a bad note, it has risen a foot in the last hour. Unfortunately, waves are still crashing over the wall of the IHNC in the 9th Ward.

Flood watches are in effect for a number of rivers in the region. A great deal of rain could still come down and then downstream. 60 miles to the west, Gustav is a category two hurricane heading inland with 105 mph winds. The eye appears to have split into two parts, but it is still knocking out power, destroying homes and churning violently across the bayou landscape.

And Hanna has been classified as CAT 1...Damn.

They could add yet another new name to the list any moment. Tropical Depression 9 could easily become Iko. If that weren't bad enough, yet another storm is beginning to form off the coast of Africa. At least Gustav has been downgraded to a category one hurricane.

I was just going to say that! There is an abundance of activity in the hurricane-birthing waters right now...

The Center's forecasts seem fairly optimistic about a couple of those outer disturbances dissipating, at least.

If you want to catch up on the local experience, WWL 870 is still providing the very best coverage. Mayor Ray Nagin is giving a live press conference right now. In addition, there are a bunch of updates from the Gambit Daily Blog of New Orleans, the venerable Times-Picayune, the Baton Rouge Advocate, the Advertiser in Lafayette and the Sun Herald in Biloxi-Gulfport, Mississippi.

Though they gladly welcomed the evacuees, the good people of Baton Rouge were really hammered by Gustav. The wind damage has been very extensive and most of the community has no electricity. Like much of the rest of the state, the thunderstorms are still churning everywhere. Almost all of the major transmission lines in the area were downed. Many folks may not have power for up to two weeks as far south as parts of NOLA.

No surprise, many other important stories are also slipping through the cracks. For example, despite what Governor Bobby Jindal claimed in his press conference, several vessels broke loose and did end up wreaking havoc. In fact, somewhere between twenty and thirty ships and barges were out of control in the canal that runs next to the 9th Ward. Stories like this are not making the national news, but readily found in the local papers.

Flooding is still happening in several communities north of Lake Pontchartrain. A sheriff reported that water has never been this high in Abita Springs and some other parts of St. Tammany Parish. Rain is coming down in torrents and the rivers are rising. Areas of Covington are being evacuated right now ahead of the flood waters.

The heavy rain has been causing problems south of Pontchartrain too. The streets of Metairie are flooded with several feet of water. It is up to the doors in some areas. Even with repeated tornado warnings, some folks who stayed behind are being asked to make sure the storm drains are clear near their homes. Fortunately, the rain has slowed down for the moment. Across town, three feet of water has covered the streets in parts of River Ridge, the rain is still coming down and flooding has entered some homes.

As Gustav continues to effect the weather, twisters are proving to be an even greater danger than the water. There are still tornado watches and warnings for the entire region around NOLA. Not ten minutes seems to go by without an EAS alert or NWS warning. In the last 24 hours, twisters have already caused localized damage in a handful of neighborhoods both north and south of the lake. About an hour ago, a sheriff watched as a tornado touched down in Westwego and crossed the Westbank Expressway at Avenue A tearing up businesses and houses.

Some citizens of St. Charles Parish are already being allowed to return home. St. Tammany and Jefferson Parishes will be open beginning tomorrow morning at 6 am local time. Only "first tier" responders are being asked to return to Jefferson right now. Other parishes are expected to follow suit. According to Mayor Nagin, the general population will be welcomed back into Orleans Parish beginning at 12:01 am on Thursday. However, the elderly, ill and very young are advised not to return.

Even with tornado warnings, a steady stream of people are gathering on the infamous I-59 north of Slidell. Hundreds of people are already lining up on Highway 90 and Interstate 10 to the west of New Orleans. Most are low on fuel, money and patience, but they want to get back home. It will not be easy for them once they arrive. In St. Bernard, St. Charles and Jefferson, for instance, there are no flush toilets or electricity for most folks who are coming back. Everyone is being advised to fill their gas tanks and bring plenty of food and water for the coming week or so.

According to the National Hurricane Center, three more storms are forecast over the next week. Hanna is expected to grind along the coast of Florida, make landfall in Georgia and may carry violent storms all the way to Nova Scotia. Ike has the potential to gain strength, cross over Cuba and enter the Gulf of Mexico next week. Josephine is also making her way across the Atlantic.

Little, please do continue your excellent summaries. I'm where I get a bit of net access each day and really enjoy these. (ugly work week, right after vacation too Appreciated!

How many people ignored the mandatory evacuation? On one hand, it's good to be safe. On the other, given what transpired last time, it's gotta be just horrible to have to up and walk from your home.

I'll support whatever it takes to harden that region. We have absolutely got to do something more than "run away quick!". We are capable, and given what happened over Katrina, we have no excuse.

You're welcome Missing. I agree that we must invest in making the Crescent City and the surrounding region stronger. Even with the news cycle starting to shift away, the people of the Gulf Coast are far from finished with Gustav. Of course, even when the storm was roaring through, some folks were still enjoying a big party without a care in the world. On the flipside, it has been interesting to discover the paintings of WWL host, Garland Robinette. I am really glad that this hurricane did not involve another on-air conversation as unforgettable and tragic as 2005.

In Plaquemines Parish, officials will start to let folks in beginning tomorrow morning at 6 am. Many homes are without power, but sewage and water will be functioning. Nobody will not be allowed on the East Bank or past the CononcoPhillips refinery in Alliance. Further south on the West Bank, there is a 250 foot breach with water rushing through at Point Celeste. So far, there is two feet of flooding on Highway 23. It is filling in the lowest areas and heading for Myrtle Grove. Workers are hoping to slow the water before it hits the newly rebuilt community of Ironton.

A caller was disgusted that the wealthy communities like Eden Isles had power restored first. Her family stayed in a church shelter in Monticello, Mississippi. She was deeply touched that the small community was so open, friendly and helpful. The experience made her believe that everyone should have gone to a shelter rather than pay for a hotel.

In the city, a policeman described being caught in his car on the edge of the tornado that came through Westwego earlier today. As it passed, the twister tore the trim off the doors while projectiles pummeled his cruiser. He said he was "real nervous" when it hit.

Some callers are already expressing frustration that they cannot plan to come home yet. A fellow from Terrebonne Parish was angry because a timeline has not been released. Frustrated and miles from home, he said that he may not evacuate again. Of course, he needed to take a deep breath and realize that the death and injury was minimized because so many folks got out.

The Terrebonne Sheriff quickly called in and explained that almost every power pole in the parish is lying in the road. There are no hospitals, no fuel and no groceries available anywhere. He said that people can begin to come home on September 12th. He also admitted that there were dozens of back roads into the Parish. He pleaded in the wavering voice of a fellow who hadn't slept in two days, "Do not come back. Please. Do not come back."

A State Senator called in and described how many of the communities themselves have had to pay for their own flood control in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes. On his helicopter flyover, he saw oil spilling from a tank near Cocodrie and called it in to Homeland Security. He confirmed that Port Fourchon is damaged, but it is not a worst case scenario. However, if it is off-line for long, it could cause a two dollar a gallon spike in fuel prices across the country.

Hooray for you and your coffee maker, Little! I hope you got some well deserved rest...

Thanks Entre_nous. I certainly got a more restful sleep than the WWL crew.

A woman called in and said that she and her Dad -- an 84 year-old WWII veteran and cancer patient -- are sleeping in a pickup truck tonight. They had more than enough money, but were kicked out of a hotel in Hammond to make room for utility workers from Entergy. Before calling it a night, Tommy Tucker vowed to help out and get them in touch with a local hospital.

Folks from Houma are starting to get a bit aggro and impatient. Terrebonne is under a 24-hour a day curfew for anyone who stayed. People who left are questioning why they are having to wait a week and a half to go home and start cleaning up. "Mark" just called and is getting really worried about leaving his cats for another ten days. He did give them a whole lot of food before he evacuated the area, but not enough for two weeks.

An estimated one million people could be heading for NOLA right now. Tangipahoa, Lafourche, Washington, and Assumption Parishes are accepting residents, but there are no utilities and a curfew is still in effect. It is going to be pretty bad for some residents. For example, power may not be restored in Assumption Parish for 6 to 8 weeks. Jefferson, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, St. Charles, St. Bernard and the northernwestern part of Plaquemines will be open to returning residents at six in the morning.

Mayor Nagin said that Orleans Parish will be open at 12:01 am on Thursday morning. He is advising folks to look at their property, clean up and decide whether they want to stay without power. It is a confusing edict since curfew may still be in effect in the surrounding parishes until sunrise. Over the next day or so, I imagine somebody will clarify exactly what the midnight change from "mandatory evacuation" to "voluntary evacuation" status actually means.

There are few amenities, power or food to offer returning residents. In spite of the bleak prospects, traffic is already affecting the roads as far west as Houston. Highways are supposed to be open to returning residents, but some callers have reported being turned away from traveling south on Interstate 55 and 59 in Louisiana. At the moment, the whole greater NOLA area is under a curfew.

Canseco's Market in Metairie was one of the last to close before Katrina and one of the first to open in the aftermath. The store also held out until the last minute before Gustav hit. When the doors closed, they brought the WWL crew a variety of yummy things that wouldn't keep. They are expected to reopen as soon as they can.

Todd Manassas is hosting through the wee hours. A disabled fellow who stayed behind in Houma described the carnage. He said the city "looks like it was put in a blender." His family of eight has been cleaning up around the homes nearby and getting trees out of the road. They have been shooting pictures for their friends so that folks in the neighborhood can begin to file insurance claims.

All night long, folks have been debating the comments of an increasingly inebriated caller named "Harley" who thought that the Saints shouldn't play on Sunday. She is a season ticket holder and finally understood why the game was on. It was either because Todd explained it so well, or because someone called and offered to use her tickets.

A woman called in from Covington with some advice. She recommended Chinet plates as a fan. Her family learned during the weeks after Katrina that they are durable enough to wave for many hours. After Gustav, she has been using the same plate for three days.

Louis Armstrong International Airport will be open for a full schedule of flights by Thursday. The New Orleans Saints are looking forward to leaving Indianapolis and, as one player put it, "getting home to rock the dome."

Most places do not have power, some will take days, some will take weeks and some might even spend over a month without electricity. In communities that are not on the main water supplies, authorities are strongly advising folks to boil the water before they drink it.

Every official is recommending that people lower their expectations. Trees are down, roof damage is extensive and emergency services will be very limited. The National Guard and police presence is strong. Once their homes are cleaned up and secured, some may leave again until power is restored.

"Phil" called in from Houma wondering why authorities are stalling on letting people return. He lamented the lack of coverage in the media and the lack of transparency among officials. "We're just middle class people. Our boats are our livelihood. Most of us were prepared, but we were not prepared for another two weeks of this."

Though the staff is ragged and sleepless, WWL has been very good about relaying important information, doing it often and providing complete bites. Todd quipped, "Bringing you day 27 of recovery after Gustav... No, it only feels like it..." They are punchy, cranky and stinky, but they have been solid.

As the bills mount for callers that evacuated, several hosts have lamented the fact that they did not encourage more people who drove out of the city to go to specific shelters rather than hotels. It was a tough decision. If they had created runs on specific places, it might have made conditions crowded and unbearable.

Shelters in Texas, Missouri and Mississippi recieved pretty high marks from the callers I've heard. At the same time, conditions in Lafayette were pretty bad and only getting worse in the last report. One caller asserted that the Mayor of Baton Rouge said a few things that rubbed evacuated folks the wrong way too.

The discussion turned to the balance between life and stuff. Todd said, "I've never seen a hearse with a U-Haul behind it. You can't take it with you." "Greg" is safe with his family in Lacombe. He agrees that there is no reason to risk your neck for things. The wives and kids packed up and went to stay with relatives in Georgia.

He suggested that folks coming home grill chicken for the utility workers and linemen like they did after Katrina. The crews are on 16 hour shifts at this point. Earlier, a fellow called in and offered the exhausted police around his gas station and convenience store free coffee and donuts to celebrate his reopening.

Over a million homes and businesses were left without power in Louisiana after Gustav. Entergy has not dealt with outages of this magnitude since Katrina. They were much more prepared for this storm, with trucks parked on high ground and workers are already arriving from all over the country.

Now that the wind is dying down, the smaller utility companies are also grinding around the clock to take care of their customers. The effort has been monumental, but the problem in many places around New Orleans is not the grid. Back-up generators are keeping hospitals and many other essential facilities powered. The problem is the main transmission lines near Baton Rouge:

"Thirteen of the 14 transmission lines serving the New Orleans metropolitan area are out of service due to the storm. This creates a situation where the New Orleans metropolitan area and a corridor along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge have become essentially an island, no longer electrically connected to the rest of the Entergy system and the electricity grid for the eastern United States. This 'island' is south of Lake Pontchartrain and includes Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Charles and upper Plaquemines parishes, which are sometimes referred to as the 'river' parishes."

Entergy

In a couple of hours, a number of parishes will be allowing residents to return to inspect their homes and decide whether or not to stay. Freeways have been designated as re-entry routes and main arteries have been set aside for travel to specific parishes. Folks will have to show identification to get into their neighborhoods.

"Tim" called in hoping that the lead-in to the Saints game is not just an endless panorama of lawns with refrigerators. He was amazed at the power outages in comparison to Katrina. He and the next caller from Kenner were both wondering where all the trucks of ice and food are right now. The supplies will be essential with so many folks returning to the city.

"Melvin" wants to thank the Algiers Central Market on Teche street for being open for business. The grocery store has become a little community hub for those who stayed behind and provided provisions to both residents and law enforcement.

"Jonathan" in Houma maintains that many more people are in town than officials are willing to admit. Authorities keep telling the locals that they cannot do anything to help. He said that he saw them picking and choosing people to let back home, but that those who rode out the storm are being treated like they are invisible or criminal.

He also said that residents are helping one another along with food and shelter, but supplies are beginning to run low. According to the caller, a truck full of generators is sitting outside of the local Lowes along with a tanker truck full of fuel. Still, nothing is available to the town. He said that a family went to get ice at a local gas station, but they were turned away by National Guard troops.

A caller said that Interstate 55 is blocked off. Cars are creeping toward a roadblock where they are all being turned around and sent on a goose chase. She was heading to Jefferson Parish and had her identification in order. They told her that she could not get past that point until 6 am. The back-up is already four miles long. Now, she is sitting on the shoulder of an access road to wait it out.

"Randy" drove all the way from Memphis, Tennessee to get back home. He was also stuck behind the roadblock on I-55. The Louisiana State Police have all been told to let the residents continue on in toward town, but they are still checking to see if folks have top "tier" permits. The troopers are turning everyone else around and sending them on a detour back the other direction. They refuse to let anyone past until six.

It is just after five in the morning. There is about an hour to go before the parishes officially open. Highways are beginning to fill up. Interstate 10 from the west is moving along like any other morning commute into Jefferson Parish. The reporter said it is already just about as crowded as a normal day. So far so good, but it means that quite a few people are heading back into town.

Traffic signals and streetlights are out everywhere. The interstate is pitch black. Drivers are all tuckered out, impatient and sweaty. The highways and main streets are fairly clear, but debris is everywhere in the neighborhoods. In many places, there are no lights at all. It could be a very dangerous morning if people do not pay close attention or try to hurry.

There is only a half hour to go before St. Tammany, St. Bernard and Jefferson Parishes are open. "Byron" called in and said he and other drivers were being chased off the shoulders of I-55. Many folks are still being turned around near Ponchatoula and sent back north for miles. With gas supplies so precious, it is a cruel joke on returning evacuees. Especially the ones with little money and even less to look forward to when they get home.

The roadblocks are now lifted on all the freeways around town. The causeway is back open and toll-free. There are still checkpoints for returning residents in each parish, but the homecoming from Gustav is officially underway. Once into their communities, there will be downed poles, debris and trees to watch on the sidestreets before they get home.

So far, beyond a little mess on I-55 at I-10, the flow this morning has been really steady. "Carlene" had a tree on her roof when she got home, but her power was on and she just brewed a pot of coffee. She had a nice and smooth ride in on the I-10 Twin Spans with no complaints. One can hope it works that well for everyone else.

The reports from Dave Cohen have been pretty good so far. Moments ago he said, "As far as the eye can see, a long steady stream of traffic coming down from Baton Rouge..." All of the freeways are crowded, but moving along briskly toward the city in the darkness. Some communities have power already, though it is sporadic.

A long line of cars is slowly making their way down Paris Road into Chalmette. Folks are rolling along looking out the windows at the neighborhood for the first time after the storm. The only ads I've heard in days are spilling out like a breached canal wall. A torrent of insurance companies, a clean-up crew and the cable company.

Garland Robinette says, "Sometimes it gets pretty tired out." He grabs some more coffee and takes another caller. This fellow had a pretty easy drive all the way from Florida. He is on his way to Marrero. He stocked up on ice and food in Gulfport. He cannot wait to get home.

"Kirk" calls in and says, "We left Birmingham at midnight and I am almost back to Metairie. I have one problem: My Son-in-law. He's following me and drives like an old lady. I don't mind. He's got my Daughter and Granddaughter back there." Garland welcomes him back home with a chuckle.

Tommy Tucker comes in after a short nap to re-tell the story of the woman and her WWII veteran father who had to sleep the night in a parking lot. They were chased out of their room in Hammond by utility workers. An appeal is going out for a place for them to stay and a hospital for his cancer treatment.

Less than an hour into re-population, Twin Span and Highway 11 traffic is quickly backing up across the bridge. The whole flow is being narrowed into two lanes and stopped. If they are from Orleans Parish, people are being turned away and sent back to the north shore to wait until midnight.

New Orleans residents could have their papers checked at the off-ramps to the city itself on I-10. Instead, the NOPD are making every single driver and all of the passengers show their identification before coming off the bridges. Things have come to a complete halt.

"Walter" has three family members in the car. He evacuated Saturday and they had to pay for a room and eat out. He is flat out of money now. He just needs to get a few blocks off of I-10 to get home, but the parish is still closed. He is not even sure he has enough gas to get home from Slidell if they send him back.

Dave Cohen found another driver being turned around who said, "We drove three and a half hours from Pensacola. The television told us that New Orleans was open. My mother is coming in from Atlanta. I guess we will have to just sit and wait until midnight."

A woman called in and said that it was impossible for her to find a shelter or a hotel room for miles and miles going east when she evacuated. She said, "I drove all the way to Philadelphia and not found a place to stay. Folks with money were being chased out of parking lots."

WWL has had no luck at all reaching the Mayor's office. As the backup on the bridges gets worse, the St. Bernard Parish President called in and questioned the move. "The NOPD have inserted themselves into the plan... This is turning into a hostage situation... This is outside of the agreement."

Dave Cohen rings in with another report from the Twin Spans, "If you are from New Orleans they are sending you back across on the Highway 11 bridge... Traffic is backed up for miles and miles and miles... They say they are just following orders..." Meanwhile, exhausted folks are either being turned away or delayed on the bridge waiting to get to the road to their parish.

In the time that Cohen has watched traffic, only five cars from New Orleans have been turned around in the last hour and a half. Level one, two and three placards are being let in, but everyone else from Orleans has the potential to be turned around. If folks have kids in the car, old folks or are in dire circumstances, the officers are using their discretion and people are making it home.

The latest word is that a similar NOPD roadblock popped up along the route at Bonnabel Place. According to Garland, the other parish leaders really wanted Mayor Ray Nagin on board for a 6 am opening. They also opposed the idea of beginning to let folks back into Orleans Parish in the middle of the night.

The Twin Span checkpoint was flowing a bit better when the officers turned to the honor system. They were just asking folks where they were going and only stopping a few people to double-check. All of a sudden -- in the middle of a report from Cohen -- the NOPD barricade was dropped, they packed it up and quickly left.

A State Trooper calls in to report that all of the freeway barricades are down and things are going smoothly. He reiterates that the Twin Span checkpoint was a local decision. Robinette is laughing as he thanks him. The new NOPD checkpoint near Bonnabel Place at I-10 and Causeway Boulevard is now in full swing. Everything is down to one lane and traffic is stacking up while they go back to checking every ID.

A woman just came through the NOPD checkpoint and said that only one officer was looking at identification while six others jawed with each other. She said it "looked like a reunion" with all of them standing around. Reportedly, the Mayor asked them to stop half an hour ago, but word is traveling slow. Garland was still laughing when he introduced Jay Vice in the newsroom.

Within moments of the last Dave Cohen report, eight officers were checking IDs and the line was going much faster along I-10. State Senator Ed Murray arrived on the scene, called city hall and tried to solve the problem. Just ten minutes later, the officers were waving folks through. By calling out officials, bringing help to the helpless and hope to the hopeless, live local radio has demonstrated over and over the great power that it holds in the region during a crisis.

Wow, LS, this is fascinating reading! Thanks so much!

You're welcome Mrs. Merkin!

WWL has done a really fantastic job of backing up the local authorities, providing complete information to the citizens at home, opening their phone lines to the region, helping in any way that they can, sharing the blunt unvarnished truth, keeping official feet to the fire, and letting us all know thousands of miles away what is going on up to the minute. It is not overstating it at all to say that radio can save lives.

Sheriff Normand from Jefferson Parish showed up at the roadblock on I-10 and Causeway. Within a few moments, the NOPD broke everything down and scurried back to their own jurisdiction. It seems that Senator Murray and Councilman Arnie Fielkow were able to work together to get a positive reaction once word got out.

As more and more folks headed home, Mayor Ray Nagin said in an interview that "no one will be turned away" from New Orleans unless they are Tampa Bay fans. After a few hours of checkpoints that sent folks from Orleans Parish with no money or options away, the city finally reversed their position and is welcoming everyone back. New Orleans is open, but knowing how things change, it could go back to a security situation at any moment.

Folks in NOLA are not out of the woods yet. Nobody outside of Terrebonne knows exactly what is going on in Houma. Parts of Plaquemines may yet flood. The power is still out all over the place. Quite a few folks have yet to head home. There are other storms heading across the Atlantic. It is a blessing that things turned out the way they have, but time marches on. After the circus of Katrina, one can only that hope all these insurers who bought spots plan on making good with their customers this time around.

Sadder stories will not doubt come out of Gustav, but for the moment, things could have been so much worse. What could have been a tragedy of great proportions has turned into a series of important lessons for local, state and federal officials. The greatest lesson of all is how vitally important it is to have active journalists and sympathetic voices on the airwaves twenty-four hours a day for all the people within earshot.