From the way they are talking about the highways, it sounds like it would be a good idea to throw some things in the car to occupy yourself while stuck in traffic. Don't forget to pack things like cell phone chargers and laptop chargers.
One thing we found out in Katrina was that often even with the electric out, internet worked! Strange but it was the last thing to go.
For people who are staying (NOT a good idea) but if you are staying, let someone in your family know where they can find an internet message from you, because phone lines will be out, and cell towers inoperable. But somehow people were sometimes finding internet access. If they don't have an email addy, they should know where to find you on the internet. That was a big problem in Katrina that people couldn't find a way to connect up afterwards.
