Ida is forecast to hit the industrial corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, site of three key ports, petrochemical sites, and a nuclear power plant.
https://yaleclimateconnections.org/...ignificant-threat-to-key-infrastructure/New Orleans’ impossible situation
A mandatory evacuation was issued for portions of New Orleans outside of their levee system on Friday, and a voluntary evacuation for inside the levee system. However, no mandatory evacuation was ordered for the city because officials judged there was insufficient time to set up contraflow, having all lanes of traffic converted to lead out of town.
Many have criticized this decision, but New Orleans found itself in an impossible situation: the city needs a full 72 hours to fully evacuate, and making reliable intensity forecasts that far in advance is very difficult. We will have to accept New Orleans’ vulnerability to major hurricanes unless tens of billions are spent to upgrade the city’s defenses to category 5 capability. As discussed in yesterday’s post, there is reason to be optimistic that New Orleans’ levee system will withstand Ida’s storm surge: The 7-11? surge predicted for the city is below the maximum surge that Hurricane Isaac of 2012 brought.
