I figure I've lived here long enough, and watched the weathercasters long enough, to have completed the basic course in Tropical Storms.

This noon one of the weatherpeople (we've got a couple of women, as well as men) went into really interesting details about what Ida is doing currently, and what the possibilities for the relatively immediate future are.

The winds are not to be ignored,,,. For one thing, they move water around, and we have plenty of water around us. My property is 15 ft. above sea level, which is not to be laughed at because parts of New Orleans and the surrounding areas are below sea level. My house is three feet higher than that.

I am not particularly close to any stream, creek, river, or other regularly flowing water that is likely to rise. Katrina is the only storm in the 30+ years I've lived here that had enough tidal surge to even dampen my yard.

Katrina was a once in a century storm, supposedly.

Finally, it is November. It is no longer officially hurricane season, and any tropical weather that does occur is negatively affected by the generally lower temperatures. Ida is down to Tropical Storm. Damage from her is likely to be from wind-driven rising water.

I called my friend in Mobile (which is also on the projected track) but she was at work. Her husband was home and I expressed surprise that their college hadn't cancelled classes. Of course, they are a bunch of hours away from New Orleans.

The cats are staying close and cuddly--they know something is coming.

I doubt that anyone at Newcomb is surprised that I'm not there. I haven't heard any reports of class cancellations, but then today it's only a bit threatening. Tomorrow may well be another story.

Back to the ongoing meteorology lessons.