▁the ▁Har vey ▁Canal ▁and ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁nearly ▁ 1 0 0   mi ▁( 1 6 0   km ) ▁from ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁Mexico , ▁the ▁river ▁sw elled ▁to ▁ 6   ft ▁( 1 . 8   m ) ▁above ▁normal . ▁Else where , ▁waves ▁ 1 0 – 1 2   ft ▁( 3 . 0 – 3 . 7   m ) ▁above ▁normal ▁high ▁t ide ▁were ▁reported ▁along ▁the ▁same ▁river . ▁ ▁Upon ▁making ▁land fall , ▁on sh ore ▁an em om eters ▁documented ▁wind s ▁stronger ▁than ▁had ▁been ▁recorded ▁in ▁any ▁previous ▁h urr icane ▁along ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁G ulf ▁Coast . ▁Gust s ▁as ▁high ▁as ▁ 1 3 0   m ph ▁( 2 1 0   km / h ) ▁were ▁reported ▁in ▁New ▁Orleans , ▁with ▁five - min ute ▁sust ained ▁wind s ▁pe aking ▁at ▁ 8 6   m ph ▁( 1 3 8   km / h ). ▁In ▁B urr wood , ▁Louisiana , ▁a ▁We ather ▁Bureau ▁an em ometer ▁documented ▁peak ▁five - min ute ▁sust ained ▁wind spe eds ▁of ▁ 1 2 2   m ph ▁( 1 9 6   km / h ), ▁though ▁when ▁the ▁ab norm ally ▁high ▁bias ▁of ▁the ▁era ' s ▁an em om eters ▁and ▁adjust ment ▁to ▁the ▁more ▁standard ▁one - min ute ▁sust ained ▁measure ▁are ▁account ed ▁for , ▁this ▁yields ▁a