Gustav down to a "strong category 2 storm" and landfall projections downgraded....

[mike_c]

http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/?lat=25.3&lon=-86.0&zoom=6&type=hyb&rad=0&wxsn=0&svr=0&cams=0&sat=0&riv=0&mm=0&hur=1&hur.wr=0&hur.cod=1&hur.fx=1&hur.obs=1&fire=0&ft=0&sl=0

Gustav appears to be teetering between a cat 2 and cat 3 storm at present. Landfall projections, which were as high as cat 5 last night, have been downgraded to cat 3. Let's hope this beast doesn't strengthen beyond cat 3 again. Gulf coasters, stay safe!

Posted by: JeffMasters, 4:05 PM EDT on August 31, 2008

Gustav is intensifying again, and threatens to bring a destructive storm surge that will offer a significant test to New Orleans' rebuilt levees when it strikes Louisiana on Monday. Gustav tore across Cuba with 150 mph winds last night, but Cuba exacted a heavy toll on the storm. Passage over Cuba allowed wind shear to penetrate into the core of the storm, disrupting the eyewall and cutting the storm's winds by 35-45 mph. However, Gustav's day over the warm Gulf of Mexico has begun to rejuvenate the storm, and the pressure is starting to fall again. At 3:17 pm EDT, the Hurricane Hunters reported a pressure of 957 mb, down 5 mb from the eye report at 9:48 am. Winds at the surface and at the flight altitude of 10,000 feet have not changed significantly since this morning, and still support classifying Gustav as a strong Category 2 hurricane with top winds of 105 mph. However, the winds should start to increase by late tonight in response to the falling pressure.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. Oh, please, please, please.........

Let it just continue to weaken. Let it hit the coastline as a Category Nothing.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

2. Fantastic! I hope it continues weakening. nt. nt

[Mojambo]

3. That's encouraging.

Hoping for the best!

[annabanana]

4. yesyesyesyes!!! This would be our BEST BET ! Not only would

people be able to return to undestroyed homes..

The RNC would have to scramble like crazy to put on a half-assed reinactment of a convention that none of the repukes wanted to have to do anyway!!

[malaise]

18. That would be perfect

but we won't know until early tomorrow. I'm just hoping NOLA doesn't get hit. The North part of this storm is not as strong as the South and that's good news for NOLA, but bad news for someone else.

I'll settle for the most damage reaching the Rethug Convention.

[dubeskin]

5. While, the storm calms, the Republicans drown in their own

waters of fail.

[elfin]

6. So the RNC bailed for no reason?

Oh, yeah, they didn't want George and Dick there, anyway.

Twin Cities will be pissed for all the lost revenue from soused convention goers.

[RagAss]

14. That's payback for hosting dirtbags

[ddeclue]

7. It'll be more than enough to finish off New Orleans even as a Cat 2

The levies are just not fixed yet.

[INDIA]

17. That's not what the Army Corps said. But what do they know? nt

[Kittycat]

8. I just read on accuweather that it's 115, and picking up again.

[skooooo]

9. "However, the winds should start to increase by late tonight .."

I still think it will be at least a 3 when it hits.

[mike_c]

10. yep, that's the current projection....

Better than a cat 5, but as someone pointed out up-thread, NOLA might not be able to withstand that, either. It'll do a lot of damage even as a cat 3.

[IndyOp]

11. Please! Let it pass over. (n/t)

[mike_c]

13. I'm afraid it's going to be a damaging storm no matter what...

...but if it's a matter of degrees, less is better!

[RL3AO]

12. Officially its still a category 3

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 115 MPH...185 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. GUSTAV IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
SCALE. SOME RE-INTENSIFICATION IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT.


Unofficially its probably a strong two.

[Nikki Stone1]

15. Good news!

Hopefully the trend will continue.

[spanone]

16. it could be perfect....a kind landfall and a very short republican convention

[gristy]

19. No! "Gustav is a MEGA HURRICANE, CATEGORY 5, IT WILL MAKE LANDFALL W/ SUSTAINED 150MPH WINDS"

That's what I heard earlier, anyways. :eyes:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6838080

[mike_c]

20. that actually was the projection late yesterday...

...while Gustav was savaging Cuba and shortly afterward. At least the cat 5 part.