By early Saturday afternoon, Hurricane Gustav strengthened into a Category 4 storm, packing winds near 145 mph.
Katrina had a footprint of about 400 miles.
Gustav is about 900 miles and growing.
The hurricane is now in Cuba.
The current forecast takes the eye of Gustav into the coast of Louisiana, west of the Mississippi Delta, late Monday or early Tuesday.
Shell and BP are working toward a full evacuation of assets in the Gulf by this afternoon.
President Bush declared a state of emergency in Louisiana and Texas, empowering federal authorities to lead disaster relief efforts in the two states.
Helen Kennedy blogs for the Daily News from New Orleans.
A fascinating chronicle of Gustav, a hurricane that could be a second, and worse, Katrina.
Police with bullhorns plan to go street to street this weekend with a tough message about getting out ahead of Hurricane Gustav: This time there will be no shelter of last resort.
The doors to the Superdome will be locked.
Those who stay will be on their own.
One of the most popular local radio stations, WWOZ, announced at 2:38 p.m. that they will be off the air starting at midnight Friday, Aug. 29, since the French Market Building where the studio is located has been shut down in preparation for Hurricane Gustav. They will keep the music going by streaming archived shows.
John MacCain campaign aides said today that they are considering all options, including compressing the Republican convention schedule and possibly holding some sort of relief telethon.
