paranoid!

I am generally not afraid of ANYTHING, other than large spiders, and large storms (with rain, winds, thunder, etc).
I am leaving Friday morning for New Orleans, but now there is a hurricane developing near Cuba, which is predicted to head NW . I am not seriously worried, but would like any input on what to do if a hurricane hits. I will NOT have a car while there, so if any evacuation is called, what should I do? Should I rent a car just in case? Is it safer to be close to ground, or in a taller building? The Red Cross website says you should "get to higher ground if there is flooding" , but it also says to stay on the lowest level possible (because of winds)... so which one is it!? Has anyone reading this lived through a serious hurricane? Also, are there ANY spots in NO that are above sea level ??

Thanks!

mel

Having a rental car will only complicate your problems. In the event of a hurricane, just follow the directions of the civil defense authorities. Better to be in a safe building such as a hotel than stuck in traffic trying to evacuate.

joed

I have never been there, but I have read that the city is past due for a "real big one". Some estimates say that 25,000 to 100,000 people could die if a large enough storm hit the city. Don't mean to scare you. You should go and have fun. There are a lot of things more dangerous that you do everyday.

xxx

How long are you staying? The storm that I think you are referring to is pretty far away -

amy

i was on vacation in st. martin and a hurricane struck (force 3). it was pretty frightening but the hotel kept all of the guests informed, fed, and occupied inside. im not comparing NO to st. martin but would see some "perceived" similarities in the attention (or lack there of) to guests. unless it turns into a major hurricane a secure, well built building will do. i would try for a room in the middle (top-bottom and side-side) of the hotel. if the hotel does sustain any damage it will be on the more exposed areas.

Cheryl

It would seem that because New Orleans has such a high water table (?is it below sea level) that flooding would be a high concern with a hurricane. (I think that's why their graves are above ground tombs.) So I would not want a rental car and would probably just want to be in mid to higher level floors just in case.

FYI - I was in New Orleans in October 2000 and there was also a hurricane/tropical storm "flirting" with the golf area around that time. It did not come to N.O. while I was there, so you never know.

Hurricane

I have been through about 4 hurricanes in my life. They are fascinating and very scary at the same time. The shriek of the wind, the torrential rains can wear you down quickly. If you are in a modern hotel in New Orleans you'l probably be safe. You might want to bring a portable radio with extra batteries to check on news reports ( you'll probaly lose electricity ), bring a large jug of bottled water and some non perishiable food to keep in your room. Flashlight with extra batteries is good to have. The storms will usually pass over quickly, 2 - 4 hours, and unless you take a direct hit ( eye wall passes just to your west ), it may not be that bad. You don't want to be down on street level in case it is a really bad storm with a large tidal surge. Most fatalities are from the tidal surge ( rising water ), so being up a few stories in a hotel would be best, as long as it is a fairly new hotel. Bring some masking tape for taping any window you may have to be exposed to. Placing small strips, in a vertical and horizontal pattern, over an exposed window from the inside can lessen the damage if the window breaks. The tape will hold the pieces. You'll have a lot of support from the hotel people also. Many of them will have been through a storm.

x

"hurricane" has some very good advice. it you experience it, control your fear and try to appreciate the fact that your experiencing something you may never experience again. some people wee met in NO have hurrican parties in their homes to pass the time.
curious though, if you are so scared of hurricanes why did you book a trip to NO during hurricane season???

Chance

Many New Orleans buildings are built to withstand Category 3 hurricane force winds. I wouldn't be too concerned. Chances are that the storm won't hit N.O. anyway as most computer models have it aimed at Mississippi. (In a hurricane, being on the "left" side means some wind, little rain while the "right" side is the opposite--heavy wind and rain!)

If it DOES look like N.O. is in the path, the TV stations are old pros at telling you what to do.

Fred

x, Hurricane Season runs from June 1st to November 30th. Anyplace that is on the ocean from the Caribbean through Maine is vulnerable those six months of the year. Would you suggest no one travel to any of those places just because it is hurricane season?

TT

Paranoid - I grew up on the Gulf of Mexico and have been through several hurricanes. The above poster was correct in stating that you are probably not going to see any action, but it never hurts to be prepared. New Orleans is below sea level - that is why the city smells so bad, no where for the run off to go - so you do not want to be street level for the hurricane. Most things are built to withstand hurricanes as are things in California for earthquakes, but use your common sense. If a hurricane is approaching you will have at least a day (24 hours) of notice. The tv and radio stations will direct you to local shelters and if you have a car, the hurricane evacuation route (you will see signs all around the city). Bring a radio with extra batteries, flashlight, food & water, ziplock bags with dry clothes (worse case). See the attached web site.
http://www.yatcom.com/neworl/weather/evacuate.html

Ariel

If, and this is a big if, you get put under a hurricane warning, NO will issue a mandatory evacuation of the city. Your hotel will close and you will have to evacuate.

travellyn

Go to N.O., expect to have a great time, and plan to leave early only if you get a hurricane warning (not a watch ). On the outside chance there is a hurricane heading your way, you will almost certainly have enough notice to leave a day or two before it hits.

If you acted immediately, you'd most likely be able to leave the way you came, taking a shuttle or cab to the airport for a flight out. If I were traveling alone, I'd only get a rental car if I were REALLY nervous. It might be worth a rental if you're coming with a few other people. (I would hope that the hotels would facilitate evacuation, since it would not be to their advantage to have a lot of guests to worry about.) There is no point sticking around after a warning if you don't have property to protect, especially since your trip would be made very unpleasant by the storm surge and rain of even a strong tropical storm.

The other posters are right; if for some reason you couldn't get out of town, you would get continuous information and instructions over TV, radio, newspapers, etc. I'd probably take the portable radio with extra batteries, just in case, as well as an umbrella. I'm not sure I'd take anything else different than for most trips.