The Calm Before

Things are still quiet here in Baton Rouge, although the storm is picking up southward near NOLA and along the coast. There's apparently a very slight chance Katrina will weaken to a Category 3, but that's still a hell of a storm...and it's slowing, which means a protracted period of bad.

Hotels are fully booked; it looks like some folks will have to spend the night in their cars--in parking lots--and traffic on the highways is still heavy. Some news reports implied some hotel managers might allow people to spend the night in the lobby.

Just waiting and watching over here. The cat's in the stairwell, acting suitably pissed, but he's just gonna have to deal.

Other items of interest: some folks had to delay their entrance to the Superdome shelter because they weren't ready to part with...their guns and drugs. Go figure.

Recent footage from New Orleans shows light rain and empty streets.

Back in a bit.