These are columns that appeared in The Advocate on August 29th and 29th in 2005...."Hurricane Katrina's engine is being fueled by a high-octane source - the hot waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The warmer the Gulf, the stronger Katrina gets. Over the weekend it has been solidifying its path by diverting dry air and seeking out moist pockets within the atmosphere. Researchers at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration are relying on the Gulf Loop Current, a main ingredient in storm strength and formation.  The current delivers hot water from the Caribbean into the Gulf of Mexico.  As the current swerves around it emits super-warm whirlpools called "eddies."  As Katrina continues to pass over these warm eddies, the storm intensifies.  In addition to computer models, storm predictors will utilize information around the storm including moisture fields and vertical wind sheer. All of this data is extrapolated to determine a truer path and the intensity of Katrina will project damage before landfall." August 29th -   "After 48 hours of coverage of this devastating, catastrophic and unfortunate storm, some comments.  In every hurricane conference that I have attended, the New Orleans scenario has been displayed. The worst-case scenario Monday morning played-out to the almost exact expectations of the Hurricane Center in Miami.  Numerous storms have skirted and hit New Orleans.  They include the October 10, 1837 Hurricane, the September 22, 1909 Hurricane, the October 2, 1915 Hurricane and the September 6, 1948 Hurricane.  The named storms include Hilda in October of 1964, Betsy on September 12, 1965, Fern in September of 1971, Bob on July 12, 1979, Elena on September 2, 1965, Juan on October 29, 1985 and Florence on September 9,1988. Thanks to all who responded to our unprecedented coverage of Hurricane Katrina; in conjunction with WGNO in New Orleans and my friend Bruce Katz it was a unique perspective for New Orleaneans in Baton Rouge that were weathering the storm."