In the Colorado Front Range, we have a setup that typically favors severe weather. We call it the Day 2 setup; two days after FROPA, we typically see our severe weather as upslope develops behind the front and pulls in moisture along the Front Range. Why mention the Day 2 setup, cause the Gulf Coast gave us that. Yesterday after the landfall of Hurricane Katrina, we saw parts of New Orleans under water, but at the same time, many place left dry. This morning, the county awoke to see that those once dry areas are now under water. The Day 2 setup occured this morning in New Orleans and the horrific disaster that looked as if may have been narrowly avoided came to a harsh reality today. Nearly 80% of the city is under water as levee breaks overnight filled the city with water from Lake Pontchartrain. But that's not the only area suffering from this catastrophie... the Coast of Mississippi is suffering huge losses as well from this Catagory 4 Hurricane. A storm surge of almost 25 feet came crashing ashore in Mississippi and uncofirmed reports ranging from 50 to 80 dead are coming in with those numbers likely to climb.
This is a catastrophe unlike anything this country has seen. The worst-case scenario seems to have been realized for the 'Big Easy' as well as other areas along the Louisiana and Mississippi coastlines. My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this storm and the country is with you in this horrific disaster.
