New Orleans: Evacuation On Third Katrina Anniversary

With Hurricane Gustav taking aim at the Gulf, in general, and New Orleans, in particular, residents of New Orleans are responding in droves to voluntary evacuation requests. The region is under a hurricane watch, which means that hurricane conditions are possible within about 36 hours; Gustav was recently upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane (winds in excess of 145 mph).

Today is the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

The current NOAA forecast projects US landfall at Terrebonne Parish, LA about 2 pm on Monday. The Republican National Convention is scheduled to begin Monday in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), the presumptive nominee, told ABC's Chris Wallace that "it wouldn't be appropriate" for the GOP to hold a "festive" event while a "natural disaster" is in the making. Although it is too late to cancel the event, look for conference organizers to scramble the schedule.

Hurricane Gustav is currently over northwest Cuba at Category 4 strength (maximum winds of 145 mph). NOAA's hurricane watch (5 pm EDT) stretches from High Island, TX to the Alabama-Florida border.

Two days before Katrina hit New Orleans, while residents slept, NOAA forecasters pinpointed New Orleans as the target and projected it would hit as a Category 3 hurricane. Once again, we are looking at a Monday "hit." And while Katrina was followed (not immediately) by Rita, Gustav is being followed immediately by Hanna, which is currently forecast to follow Gustav's path is currently forecast to turn north east of Florida and hit the Bahamas.

The White House has initiated the federal government's emergency process by declaring an emergency in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama (order of declaration).

For current news, see NOAA, NOLA.com and WWLTV.COM.

• FEMA Prepares as Gustav Aims at New Orleans
• Hurricane Katrina: Timeline
• Side-by-Side: Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
• What Is A Category 3 Hurricane?
• FEMA's List of Top 10 U.S. Natural Disasters
• Washing Away: The series that predicted Katrina