Texas-Louisiana Hurricane Info Thread

[CrazyC83]

Best word of advice: evacuate before any orders are given, and have a map on you with the back roads listed.

[njoynit]

I went through Rita.I had a generator.survived the 2 weeks.I still got my waterjugs& had already started storeing ice.The woods is intresting in a hurricane too. I'm watching.

So will this be the official thread to find info?once they declare evacs?(just wondering...things have changed a bit here)

[wlfpack81]

Well, the local media is picking up on this now so I expect the rush on stores to begin tonight and definitely tomorrow for sure.

[ROCK]

Well, the local media is picking up on this now so I expect the rush on stores to begin tonight and definitely tomorrow for sure.

already started I am afraid.....Wal-mart no water....wonderful....

[jasons2k]

Here are the Houston area TXDOT signs:

[hurrican19]

Here are the Houston area TXDOT signs:

forming hell, it's done formed, just not in the gulf yet, maybe TXDOT should reword it.

[jes]

I went through a strong Cat 3. My house didn't rock and I never felt it would fall in. No one in our city died. Many many pine trees were blown down. Don't have pine trees around your house. An insurance adjuster told me they snap and come through the roof like daggers. We didn't have power for two weeks. Part of my wood fence came down. That's about it. I was not in a flood prone area ---- would never consider staying if flooding could be a problem. Nothing is ever for sure - I guess there could be a chance that a small tornado touches your roof which would be dangerous. Or something could hit a window that could cause a pressure variance and blow your roof off. Make sure your windows are covered. Watching the pictures of the storms is so scarey --- especially when they are headed straight for you. But, when I am rational I realize I've been through plenty of the outer bands of storms and they are nothing. They just look terrible on the TV. I think the biggest danger (as has been said many times) is the flooding.. How many people in non-flooding areas died from Camile. I don't believe many or maybe none did. The same goes for Katrina. It was the surge that killed. What you felt in B'ham was bad - I know because I evacuated to Montgomery. We couldn't come home for two days because of the interstates. There was no power in Montgomery --- however, my house in Mobile had power the morning after the storm --- whats that all about? My point is that storms are for sure terrible and scarey -- but if you're not in a mobile home or flood prone area maybe you'll be fine staying put. I think that's what most people have done for years.

[NewOrleansMom]

I've been waiting for a thread to post this. I didn't want to ask this in the middle of the Hurricane discussion so here goes.

I'm truly worried about the potential impact of Dean. We moved to Houston from B'Ham 6 months ago and I know what Katrina felt like in B'Ham (60+ mph winds for over 6 hrs) and can only imagine what it was like on the coast. I am a weather nut obviously and would love to sit through a Cat 1 or Low level Cat 2 in my house in Missouri City, but I know it's crazy to think about remaining here during a Cat 3 or higher... So I have to be at work on Monday and I'm supposing if there are signs of evacuations we will then be let out of that obligation. My father-in-law who lives just down the road has lived in Houston for 30 years and has absolutely no concerns about this storm. He will not even think about an evac. I have a 13 year old son and wife to think about. I know if I wait too long I may be stuck in crazy traffic. I want to see a storm to some extent, but I don't want my family to be hurt. Any suggestions on how to think about this situation? (In our neighborhood, flooding does not appear to be a concern at all.)

This has to be a family decision. Here's some advice from someone who endured Katrina's wrath.

Should Dean remain on it's present course, I suggest that you sit down this weekend with your wife and 13-year old son and talk this out. Don't wait until the last minute. Make a decision and stick to it. You son can and possibly will be affected by this storm in some form, so his feelings and what he's comfortable with should be considered. Weight your options. If you can take off Monday or have some vacation time coming, take it. Take a few days and get away to a family member's home, a friend, or a hotel. Once in a safe area, make it a kind of vacation and try to enjoy your time there. This is going to be stressful enough, remember to take "time off" from the stress of this. Don't plant yourself in front of the t.v. 24/7. There's nothing you can do at this point. It's times like these that families pull together. I guess that's the one good thing that comes out of something like this...family unity.

It must be confusing to hear people telling you to leave and others saying stay if you're not in a flood area. Remember this...even if you're not in a flood prone zone, many many different scenarios can happen with a storm of this size. Things that your would "never" have imagined or things you may not have planned for. I'm not trying to frighten you, but you should know the truth. Discuss your options with your wife and son and PLEASE remember your son will pick-up on your feelings and/or nervousness. Try to remain and/or appear calm. When making preparations, give him some things to do for storm preparation, that's important. Make him part of this, it's scary for adults...but even more frightening for kids.

Hope this helps some. Good luck.

[mgpetre]

Wow! Thank you all for very informative and helpful comments. I still haven't decided what to do. My wife currently just doesn't believe this is going to hit us directly; I think her dad has brainwashed her into thinking Houston will be eternally save. My neighbors aren't leaving... I want to stick around and take pictures if the winds don't get about 90mph... but beyond that I know the kind of utter destruction we could be in for. It's a tough call and I will let everyone know in the case that it does come Houston way. Thank you again.

[Janie2006]

I think the biggest danger (as has been said many times) is the flooding.. How many people in non-flooding areas died from Camile. I don't believe many or maybe none did. The same goes for Katrina. It was the surge that killed. What you felt in B'ham was bad - I know because I evacuated to Montgomery. We couldn't come home for two days because of the interstates. There was no power in Montgomery --- however, my house in Mobile had power the morning after the storm --- whats that all about?

Storm surge remains the greatest killer in any hurricane or typhoon. However, I can guarantee that people died during Camille because they were caught outside (or floated, escaped rising waters, etcetera) during the height of the storm. Camille was a story of surge, wind and flooding. Any object flying around at 160 mph and above will inflict death very quickly. Camille's top winds exceeded 100 mph as it approached Hattiesburg, well over 60 miles inland. My point is that wind can kill quite effectively.

You were fortunate if you had power immediately following Katrina, even in Mobile. It is possible that your house is on the same power grid as some of the hospitals or emergency/law enforcement headquarters. Typically, those power grids are the very first to be up and running following a storm. OTOH, maybe you and yours were lucky. It happens like that sometimes.

[Robjohn53]

To many folks under estimate the wrath of hurricanes. There are alot of factors that can happen unexplained. Storm Surge is one thing as well as tons of rain that can drop causing flooding of all sorts. And wind damage from flying objects. If you all have the chance to get somewhere safe it's the best thing. I saw three of them in 2004 here in Florida. Living 5 miles inland it was not fun although we did not get the blunt force, 95 mile an hour winds do a ton of damage. You might have made it through 1 but thats not saying you'll make it thtrough another things can and will happen. Be safe and live to tell about it.

One other thing to think about Katrina caught alot of people that thought they were safe and alot of them died. Is it really worth taking the chance? Never wait till the last moument thinking you know what it will be. Say Cat 3 cause that all can change in no time at all.

Good Luck and please give this storm more consideration

Robjohn53