Since History was brought up. I relocated a link to the Hurricane Camille Bulletins.
I'm not saying Katrina could be similar to Camille.
It's just that Camille was forecast into NW FL and the warnings weren't extended into Biloxi until 6 AM the morning before she made landfall.
That's 16 hours Notice!

If a HURRICANE WATCH or WARNING is posted for the coast near you.
Please pay Very Close attention to all Advisories on Katrina. NHC track models are tightly cluster on the MS/LA area right now.
That could, but probably won't,change.

Here's the link to the Camille Bulletins. Notice the signatures at the bottoms of the Bulletins. Names like (Robert)Simpson, the late (John)Hope, and(Neil) Frank to name a few of the more prominant ones.
The Bulletins are in jpeg format.

ftp://ftp.nhc.noaa.gov/pub/storm_archives/atlantic/prelimat/atl1969/camille/