All Eyes on Katrina

The Washington Post is reporting that the worst of Hurricane Katrina may not hit New Orleans directly, as previously feared. However, the outlook for the vulnerable city does not look good.

Katrina, which weakened slightly overnight to a Category 4 storm, turned slightly eastward before hitting land, which would put the western eyewall _ the weaker side of the strongest winds _ over New Orleans.

But National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield warned that New Orleans would be pounded throughout the day Monday and that Katrina's potential 20-foot storm surge was still more than capable of swamping the city.

Katrina, which a day before had grown to a 175-mph, Category 5 behemoth, made landfall about 6:10 a.m. CDT east of Grand Isle in the bayou town of Buras.

The storm hammered the Gulf Coast with huge waves and tree-bending winds. Exploding transformers lit up the predawn sky in Mobile, Ala., while tree limbs littered roads and a blinding rain whipped up sand on the deserted beach of Gulfport, Miss.

Katrina's fury also was felt at the Louisiana Superdome, normally home of professional football's Saints, which became the shelter of last resort for about 9,000 of the area's poor, homeless and frail.

Brendan Loy, blogging at The Irish Trojan's Blog, writes that the Superdome's roof is peeling off. He also has an updated damage report here. [H/T: Michelle Malkin.]

In all likelihood, Michelle Malkin will have updates throughout the day as well. Keep the people in harm's way in your prayers.

UPDATE: Running developments here at Nola View.

UPDATE II (11:37 a.m.): Via Michelle Malkin:

11am EDT update: President Bush may release strategic oil reserves. Announcement expected at 1pm EDT.

Eye of the storm is moving. Via National Hurricane Center:

KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 16 MPH...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY AND TONIGHT. ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER WILL MOVE OVER SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI TODAY AND INTO CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI THIS EVENING. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 125 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. KATRINA IS NOW A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. WINDS AFFECTING THE UPPER FLOORS OF HIGH RISE BUILDINGS WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER THAN THOSE NEAR GROUND LEVEL. WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS THE CENTER MOVES OVER LAND. HOWEVER...HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD AS FAR AS 150 MILES INLAND ALONG THE PATH OF KATRINA.

1116EDT...Fox News Channel's Shep Smith reports from the scene that "The French Quarter looks very good...New Orleans got lucky again..."

Mississippi is flooding.

UPDATE III (3:42 p.m.): "Hell on earth" in Gulfport, Mississippi. CNN reports:

Authorities in Gulfport, Mississippi, told CNN's Gary Tuchman that 10 feet of water covered downtown streets.

"Because the water is so deep, boats are floating up the street," Tuchman said. "There is extensive damage here. This is essentially right now like hell on earth."

"There is intense damage," he said. "We are watching the dismantling of a beautiful town."