Dear Katrina,[UPDATED]
Please don't hurt New Orleans. You can have Pat Robertson. He's much more sinful.

New Orleans sits below sea level, with levees designed to protect against 12 ft. surges, the kind a level 2-3 hurricane would provide. Katrina is a level 5. The main reason it's not a level 6 is that there is no such category. Back in May, Chris Mooney thought through the problems the city would and may face, problems too horrible to quote here. (link via Kevin Drum)

Read about global warming's impact on increased hurricane intensity here. (link via daily kos)

UPDATE: John at AmericaBLOG is, like me, confused and pissed that many, like the President, seem to be ho-hum while "one of the biggest disasters ever to face an American city" bears down. Is anyone reading the National Weather Service warnings?