ATL: HARVEY - Post-Tropical - Discussion

[NDG]

Any pictures from the Galveston County near Santa Fe where radar estimates nearly 50" of rain has fallen?

[bayoubebe]

I've been on this site since it started and just love how kind everyone is on this site. I also have been living in Sugarland/Richmond SW Houston area for 40 years. I've been through depressions, storms, Allison, Ike, and just general storms. At my house we have received 22" of rain in 35 hours and expecting more. The current forecast brings the storm directly over our house tomorrow night or Tuesday morning. Never, Never, have evacuations taken place like this. If you don't live here, you can't really understand. Just on a Friday or Sunday night, the normal traffic pattern is so heavy that it takes an amazing amount of time to get home. During the one evacuation that was called during Rita (I think), We spent an hour on the main road to leave and only got 1/2 mile. We chose to stay this time because we've had 22" of rain before and that was pretty much the forecast at first. Secondly, the storms usually move out pretty quick or at least give us a break for water to drain. Not this one. The thing is that the only one who would have known what this storm would do is its Creator. Considering the horrible experience that we had with trying to evacuation 6+ million (people died on the highway while stranded, sick and out of gas), and the bad experiences in the last year plus Allison, considering that the governor got disaster declarations two days before it hit, considering that all the county judges (including Ed Emmet) and city mayors have worked together to pull resources together, things could have been much, much worse. I'm grateful for the planning and good sense that is here now. I does not help to see people who really don't know talk badly about the people that I think have done an excellent job. Seems to me that the energy that is being used to lay blame would better be used to lay bricks on the road to recovery. Yes we have a leak in the roof, yes we are stranded in our neighborhood, yes, we are expecting it to get a little worse, but we have power, food, water, and a generator. I woke up on the right side of the daylight. I can't ask for more. Thanks for letting me vent.

Honestly, I was wondering why more people did not evacuate(including relatives and friends). When I heard CATASTROPHIC and what they were expecting, I thought, I would be out of there! Thanks for shedding light on the situation. I hope you remain safe and lives are spared. Praying for all in its path.

[EquusStorm]

Not sure how the rest of the season will unfold, but Harvey is a terrifying example of 'it only takes one' when making seasonal predictions and expectations.

The images from Houston are outright scary. I fear we've yet to see the worst with water still rising.

[RBDnhm]

As a Southeast Texan, hunkering down to see what happens and hope for the best, to me the criticism of Harris County or other officials is unmerited. We have known since at least Tuesday that huge rainfall amounts could be expected in areas, but there is no way to determine exactly where. I have no doubt a Rita type evacuation would kill many more than rising rain water will. Anyone who thinks Houston could be evacuated once the rain started has never driven the Katy Freeway or IH45 at 5:00 p.m. on any weekday.

[ronjon]

I have to give The Weather Channel kudos for excellent coverage of the Texas flooding. Its been nonstop with their reporters spread out over SE Texas. Mike Bettis riding a wrecker in Dickinson helping a family. Neighbors helping neighbors with boats rescuing people, offering food and water. This is an example of the best of america - total strangers helping others.

[Sanibel]

Any pictures from the Galveston County near Santa Fe where radar estimates nearly 50" of rain has fallen?

Is that confirmed? Maps were showing 25 inches for that area just a few hours ago...

[Kingarabian]

I'm reading that they issued Voluntary evacuations in Galveston 2 days ago. For officials, to me that that's pretty much the best you can do in this situation.

[bayoubebe]

Additional cities calling for help-

Galveston County and several cities are requesting assistance from experienced boaters willing to help with the large number of high water rescues waiting to be made across the area.

Please contact these departments directly if you can help:

Galveston County Sheriff's Office:

If you own a flat bottom boat and are available we need your help assisting with rescues. We are setting up a staging area at the Gulf Greyhound Park in La Marque. Galveston County sheriff's deputies will be dispatching volunteers out to where they need to be. Please make sure you have plenty of life vests and fuel since resources at this time are unavailable. Please call Brittany at 409-978-0242 if you're able to help and comment below with any other questions, we are monitoring Facebook constantly. Please share with anyone you know with a flat bottom boat.

League City Police Department:

We are looking for people with flat bottom or low water boats to assist with rescue and evacuation. Please call 281-554-1075 if you can be mobile with your boat and are experienced in operation of the boat.

Please email kelly.williamson@leaguecity.com with name, phone number, location of boat, length and style of boat.

Dickinson Police Department:

To people in the Dickinson area: if you have a boat and would be willing to help the police department rescue people from their flooded homes, please call 281-337-4700.

Santa Fe Police Department:

Volunteers with John boats or air boats are asked to call 409-925-2000 if they're available to help.

This article will be updated with additional calls for help if they are made.

From galvnews.com

This is good information to be spread.

[TeamPlayersBlue]

I live in Sugar Land/Missouri City. Was in Sweeny friday night for landfall. Nothing too dramatic. Came back yesterday afternoon, had my fantasy draft with friends, watched the fight, and barely made it home. We never flood. Ever. We havent yet, but the lake overflowed nearby which dumps into Oyster creek and the creek is almost up to the lake. Well, keep everyone in your prayers who arent as fortunate as me. Im blessed, safe, and dry for now.

I hope this really wakes up the city of Houston. While this is quite possibly the worst storm in history for the city, something must be done for all the flooding we have. We flood multiple times a year. I have a friend who has had water in his house 3 times i 3 years, and came close two other times. Thats ridiculous for a decent neighborhood. Anyways, glad to have you guys here. Not going to catch up on the 200 pages i missed.

Very thankful for you guys and your knowledge.

[ktulu909]

I doubt mass evacuation would have been an option, I live in the New Orleans are and remember attempting to evacuate for Ivan and it took me 17 hours to get to Slidell,which is normally a 40 minute drive. As devastating as this is, Im not sure you could get everyone out in a week.

[KBBOCA]

Earlier I asked a question about any good Twitter lists to keep up with what's happening in Houston. I just saw the links to some lists posted.

City of Houston list: (official announcements from various city organizations)
https://twitter.com/HoustonOEM/lists/ci ... on-twitter

Houston Weather (only 4 members, but they may be adding more... I think some of these lists are new)
https://twitter.com/HoustonOEM/lists/houston-weather

Hospitals / Health Care:
https://twitter.com/HoustonOEM/lists/ho ... healthcare

You can see more lists created by Houston OEM here:
https://twitter.com/HoustonOEM/lists

[southerngale]

My house is fine for now, but many of my neighbors houses aren't. There are some good folks delivering sandbags in my neighborhood. The entrance to my sub-division is flooded. The golf course is flooded and getting close to homes. Schools are closed. Everything is closed it seems.
I just watched a rescue in Beaumont. 2 ladies filming the flood and this stupid lady drives right into a flooded underpass. They rescue her as her car sinks. Watched her drive right into it!!! It's on KFDM Facebook if anyone wants to see it.

[BobHarlem]

Video of apparently a basement entry to the downtown Houston tunnel system today

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0R7Fa ... AwZlk/view

[ConvergenceZone]

I have to give The Weather Channel kudos for excellent coverage of the Texas flooding. Its been nonstop with their reporters spread out over SE Texas. Mike Bettis riding a wrecker in Dickinson helping a family. Neighbors helping neighbors with boats rescuing people, offering food and water. This is an example of the best of america - total strangers helping others.

I agree. When it comes to hurricane coverage. The Weather Channel blows all the other News Networks out of the water. Not even close

[GJG]

My house is fine for now, but many of my neighbors houses aren't. There are some good folks delivering sandbags in my neighborhood. The entrance to my sub-division is flooded. The golf course is flooded and getting close to homes. Schools are closed. Everything is closed it seems.
I just watched a rescue in Beaumont. 2 ladies filming the flood and this stupid lady drives right into a flooded underpass. They rescue her as her car sinks. Watched her drive right into it!!! It's on KFDM Facebook if anyone wants to see it.

Where in Beaumont? My son is off belvedere good so far.

[southerngale]

My house is fine for now, but many of my neighbors houses aren't. There are some good folks delivering sandbags in my neighborhood. The entrance to my sub-division is flooded. The golf course is flooded and getting close to homes. Schools are closed. Everything is closed it seems.
I just watched a rescue in Beaumont. 2 ladies filming the flood and this stupid lady drives right into a flooded underpass. They rescue her as her car sinks. Watched her drive right into it!!! It's on KFDM Facebook if anyone wants to see it.

Where in Beaumont? My son is off belvedere good so far.

MLK and Franklin

[NDG]

Any pictures from the Galveston County near Santa Fe where radar estimates nearly 50" of rain has fallen?

Is that confirmed? Maps were showing 25 inches for that area just a few hours ago...

Both Lake Charles Radar and Houston radar show nearly 50" of rain since Thursday.

[KBBOCA]

Wow, look at all the boats out to help rescue folks in Dickinson!

 https://twitter.com/evanmcmurry/status/901887398061031424

[PTPatrick]

I would expect the Doppler estimates aren't that greate esp lake Charles because it's further away...I believe they are less accurate in extreme events. The area around league city may well be over 3 ft range now, but I haven't seen an official report of near 50, yet.

But I would add... the rain gauges in those areas are now likely non functional, inundated.

Edit: nws tweeted 12 minutes ago A list showing Santa Fe at 25 inches

[NDG]

Wow, look at all the boats out to help rescue folks in Dickinson!

 https://twitter.com/evanmcmurry/status/901887398061031424

This is where the radars estimate around 45-50 inches of rain has fallen during the last 3 days or so.