New Orleans is ready this time though...

It's been 3 years since Katrina stormed through Louisiana, changing the face of New Orleans and surrounding cities forever. In case you've forgotten, Katrina killed more than 1,800 people and flattened entire towns in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Gustav Shifts CourseHurricane season (this year) started off quietly, but there's no ignoring the chaos brewing in the Atlantic. Once Gustav fizzles out, Hannah is waiting patiently in the wings to be officially declared a tropical storm.

Gustav had reached hurricane status, but is now a tropical storm after leaving 22 dead in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. But he's not finished yet.

"Gustav could regain hurricane strength by Friday," the National Hurricane Center said.

Forecasters are predicting Gustav will enter the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 3 hurricane, but Thursday is a long way off and hurricanes have a penchant for changing direction without warning.

Louisiana is ready for Gustav though.

"We are going to hope for the best, but we're preparing for the worst," said Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Emergency medical supplies are ready for distribution and federal disaster assistance has already been requested.

If you're not traveling through the southern United States this week, you'll feel the punch when you go for gas. Prices have already started their nosebleed climb - and they'll likely go higher before leveling off.

Do you have a vacation planned in New Orleans? Traveling to Florida anytime soon? What are your contingency plans if a storm lands in the middle of your fun?