What happens if Ivan slams into New Orleans?

[DemWitch]

I've seen a few documentaries on New Orleans and what would happen if a major hurricane was to hit head on. Not a pretty picture. I've been watching the track, and the projected paths of Ivan and he doesn't seem to be making that northernly turn. If he keeps on the current track he's heading straight for The Big Easy.

[Dookus]

1. Let's hope it doesn't

A large hurricane hitting New Orleans would destroy the heart of the city. One study shows the water level in the French Quarter would exceed 20 feet, and because of the elaborate system of levees, the water would have nowhere to drain to.

New Orleans would be lost.

[lil-petunia]

2. ivan or the bigger one following

Actually, chances are 1 in 5 that south central Florida will be hit again.

three in two months?

[soothsayer]

4. Is there really one behind Ivan??

I'd better get to weatherunderground and check it out.

[silverpatronus]

8. there's two behind ivan

forming in the mid-atlantic. this is the most incredible hurricane season i've ever seen. usually by september it's all over, and NEVER more than one big storm. florida is just getting hammered.

i have to wonder, that climate change theory can't be far off the mark. i've been studying weather patterns in general worldwide over the last 2-3 years...a lot has changed.

[soothsayer]

9. jeez o pete. hey, what site do you like to follow these systems?

weather underground isn't as up to date as you are..!

[havocmom]

3. The way my sister's year has gone, I wouldn't be surprised if it did hit.

Her son died almost a year ago. She had a double mastectomy, is now doing chemo with ratiation to look forward to. She is heading to the French Quarter end of the week for some time to get away from the grind for the anniversary of son's death...

Look Out, New Orleans. This could be a bad one.

[Magrittes Pipe]

5. Ask the people who rode Camille out.

[starroute]

6. Something will eventually change the course of the Mississippi

It's the nature of rivers that flow through almost flat territory, like the lower reaches of the Mississippi, to change their course periodically. This has happened many times before and it's going to happen many times again. And when it does, New Orleans will no longer be located on the river.

They've done a lot of expensive engineering work down there to keep the river in its current course -- work that's good enough to hold off the effects of most storms. But some day, there will be a super-storm that overwhelms the engineering. Or maybe the New Madrid fault will cut loose and shake everything up. And then New Orleans will be just a stranded relic, like so many of the glorious port cities of ancient times that were left high and dry when the shorelines shifted.

[cmf]

7. they would be screwed

of course, it would depend on how quickly the storm was moving and how strong the storm was. There are levees all around the city, so they would be ok in a fast, weak storm. But if a slow moving storm with a big storm surge hit, they would be screwed.