Over the years in the convention business, I’ve spent a bit of time in the city of New Awlins. I have friends who call the city home. I have co-workers who called the city home and now live in Houston. So I am saddened to see the area in the sights of another storm.

NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 30 — Mayor C. Ray Nagin on Saturday night ordered a mandatory evacuation of this city ahead of Hurricane Gustav, which swelled from an already deadly tropical storm into a monster depression with winds of more than 150 mph.

“This is the real deal, not a test,” Nagin said as he issued the order, effective 9 a.m. Eastern time Sunday for low-lying areas and 1 p.m. citywide. He warned residents that staying would be “one of the biggest mistakes of your life.”

New Orleans Empties as Gustav Closes In – washingtonpost.com.

For those that are interested in the maps, here’s the latest model map…

Seems as if no matter where he goes we will be seeing rain…No complaints there. We are still down from where we should be for the year.

Updates to follow…

Related articles by Zemanta

• Some NOLA residents can’t, won’t leave
• The papers on the second great exodus from New Orleans.
• Fears over damage to US oil rigs