6:11 am August 29, 2005: Weather Underground: New Orleans May be Spared Catastrophic Hit

Jeff Matthews, meteorologist with the Weather Underground, a popular web-based weather service, reports that it appears New Orleans will be spared a catastrophic hit. “As the eye passes east of the city later this morning, north winds of about 100 mph will push waters from Lake Pontchartrain up to the top of the levee protecting the city, and possibly breach the levee and flood the city. This flooding will not cause the kind of catastrophe that a direct hit by the right (east) eyewall would have, with its 140 mph winds and 15-20 foot storm surge. New Orleans will not suffer large loss of life from Katrina.… [A]lthough the damage will be incredible, it could have been much, much worse.” [Masters, 8/29/2005]